The Bonds That Tie
by kruemi
Summary: A "What if" story, set in season 2/3 of the show.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: _I do not own the characters who act in this story; I only borrowed them from Beth Sullivan, CBS and whoever else is holding the rights on them._

I wrote this story as a thank you to Ann. She made it possible for me to meet Jane Seymour (Michaela), Joe Lando (Sully) and Jonelle Allen (Grace) in person and gave me a week in LA that I will never forget.

 **The Bonds That Tie**

By Kruemi

" _The heart has reasons that reason does not understand." Jaques Benigne Bossuel_

 **Chapter 1**

Sully had just closed the stagecoach's door when he looked at Catherine once more. She sat on the seat at the open window and gazed at him with dread in her eyes. Recognizing it moved him deeply. His heart went out to her and he wished he could do something to ease her fears. His hand was still gripping the wooden frame of the small window, almost touching hers, when the vehicle eventually started to drive away, and on the spur of the moment he made a decision.

"Wait!" he called out and burst into a sprint. Once abreast with the two men on the box he waved up at them, yelling again, "Stop!"

Pulling sharply at the reins the driver glared down at him. "What do you want?" he demanded impatiently.

Sully didn't have a plan yet; all he knew was that there was no way he would have Catherine make the trip across the country on her own.

Resting his hand on the side of the horse next to him he wrinkled his brow, trying to think quickly. When the animal snorted and began to throw its head from side to side he made his decision.

"You gonna stop at the first swing station?" he asked the two men.

Receiving a short nod in confirmation Sully said, "I'm gonna join you there. It's safer for me to accompany my friend, but I first have to pick up some things at my place."

Acknowledging this statement with another nod and an almost imperceptible smile that spoke of relief, the driver clicked his tongue at the horses and flicked the reins. Sully had told him about this particular passenger's special condition and asked him to keep eye on her. The driver had agreed, if reluctantly. Of course he preferred having this task off his hands. He would definitely wait until Mr. Sully caught up with them.

As the stagecoach resumed moving out of town, Sully watched it for another moment before he turned around. He expected to see the family standing there as they had a minute ago, but there was only Brian, gaping at him.

"You're going with her?" the boy asked incredulously.

"Yeah," Sully said, crouching down so he could talk on eye level with the child. "I have to. You remember your trip to Boston?"

"'course," Brian shrugged, still eyeing Sully suspiciously.

"Remember how long it was? How exhausting?" Sully continued, laying his hand on Brian's shoulder, his tone becoming urgent.

Brian nodded mutely, still not acknowledging his friend's arguments.

"Now imagine you have to go on your own to the East Coast. And to top it, you are sick and don't know when the next fit is gonna hit you. Wouldn't you like to have someone keeping you company on that journey?"

As understanding dawned, Brian dropped his eyes to the ground. "I guess," he said quietly.

"Good. I gotta hurry." Sully rose to his feet again. "I don't have time to go out to the reservation. Would you make sure Wolf gets to Cloud Dancing?"

Alarmed, Brian looked up at the man that used to be his idol. "You'll come back, won't you?"

Contemplating at this moment whether to leave a message for Michaela, Sully replied absent-mindedly, "Sure."

As if reading his mind, the boy asked anxiously, "Can I tell that to ma?"

"Tell her…," Sully began and then trailed off. He and Michaela didn't part on good terms when they last talked the other night, and he was sure she would be even angrier now when she found out that he had left with Catherine.

"She'll come around 'cause she knows I'm doing the right thing," he said at last, squeezing the boy's shoulder lightly. He wasn't sure if he wanted to reassure Brian or rather himself. However, he couldn't waste one more minute or he wouldn't be able to catch up with the stagecoach. "I gotta run," he muttered under his breath and set off towards the livery in order to get his horse from Robert E.

xxxx

The waystation lay in a small valley next to the trail that had been worn into the grassy ground by hundreds of wooden wheels rolling along. When Sully reached the edge of the hollow he heaved a sigh of relief: the stagecoach was still there. It looked as if one of the horses had been exchanged, and a hostler was just finishing putting on its harness while the travelers were stretching their legs. He didn't see Catherine though, but he wasn't worried. He knew she preferred keeping to herself.

After he'd carefully led his horse down the steep slope, he arrived between two small cabins. There she sat on the steps of the porch, and the shy welcoming smile on her face was all he needed for him to know he'd made the right decision.

Ten minutes later the stagecoach was rolling towards Denver again. Sully had settled on the roof of the cabin, favored this to sitting inside of it. That way he had the solitude he needed in order to contemplate his next steps. With his money he would make it to Baltimore but it wouldn't be enough for the trip back. Maybe if things went smoother than feared, Catherine could make the train ride from St. Louis on her own; otherwise he needed to find a job in Baltimore. He preferred the former, but if need be he would do the latter.

At this point he couldn't help but wonder whether Michaela would come to look for him if he stayed away for weeks on end as he had when she didn't return from Boston. If her leaving at the stagecoach earlier was any indication. she wouldn't.

"Sully?" Catherine's voice was barely audible, drowned out by the clatter of hooves and the squeaks of the moving carriage. He still heard it though and bent over the roof. Her face was pale, and Sully instantly shifted so he could call down to the driver, "Can we stop for a moment?"

Impatiently the man shouted back, "What now?" Only at hearing Sully's suspicion that the lady he accompanied might be sick did he pull on the reins so the horses slowed to a halt.

With one swift move Sully jumped down on the ground, landing next to the window where Catherine sat.

"You feel like fainting?" he asked anxiously, searching her features for any sign of a fit that would leave her unconscious.

"It is so…," Catherine started quietly. Taking in a deep breath she explained, "I feel like in a cage and that makes me sick. Can I sit on the roof with you?"

He was so grateful that there wasn't anything seriously wrong that Sully chuckled.

"Sure," he said without hesitation, "C'mon, I'll help you up."

Everything went well from then on, until it began to rain heavily two hours before they reached their destination. With Catherine only wearing a dress made of cotton and nothing to protect her from the downpour they had no choice but continue their ride inside of the cabin.

The longer they sat in the cramped space the paler Catherine grew, and Sully began to worry that she might have a seizure. He took her hand and squeezed it lightly. "You alright?" he asked concerned.

She didn't look at him but replied quietly, "I feel strange."  
"Like a new fit coming?" Sully grew alarmed. "Do you have the medicine Dr. Mike gave you?"

"It's not like that." She grew quiet again, taking in a ragged breath. Talking was very exhausting. She let her head sink on Sully's shoulder and closed her eyes.

Sully moved as little as possible for the rest of the ride, hoping that sleep would help Catherine to get over her discomfort. It was only when the stagecoach stopped and everyone disembarked but she still didn't budge that he realized something was very, very wrong. Obviously, she was having a fit and he knew she needed to rest before they could ride on a stagecoach again.

Seeing that one of the passers-by stopped to watch them, Sully asked for the man's help to get Catherine out of the coach. Once she was in his arms, limp as a doll, the man revealed, "I used to be a doctor and might be able to help. There's a boarding house right around the corner where I have a room."

Although he was aware that it was rude, Sully cut him off by calling to their driver, "Would you drop our luggage at the depot? I'll pick it up later." When the driver nodded his consent, Sully began to move along the sidewalk. "We're gonna take our own room," he informed the stranger who'd just helped him.  
The man lifted his hands and stopped in his tracks. "I didn't want to intrude. I'm sorry."

Shifting Catherine's weight Sully reconsidered his decision. "No, I am sorry," he said over his shoulder. "Maybe it's a good idea that you take a look at her."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Sully still ain't back in our beautiful little town after taking off with that Indian woman?" Hank drawled in a way of greeting across the street as Michaela slid down from her horse's back in front to the clinic. She did her best to ignore him as she tied Flash to the post, but Hank wasn't done with his taunting. Taking a puff from his cigar, he rose from his chair next to the entrance to his saloon and leaned with his forearms on the railing of the porch.

"A man needs a change now and then, Michaela," the saloon owner smirked at the doctor's back. Her rigid shoulders told him she was hearing him very well and that he was getting to her. He would have loved to tease her further, but a group of riders was approaching his establishment.

"I gotta go now," he informed her, tossing his stub on the road, "gonna have some fun myself."

Stone-faced, without deigning Hank a response or acknowledging him in any other way, Michaela entered the clinic. Once inside she leaned with her back against the door and closed her eyes, letting out a long sigh. Hank had no idea how wrong he was when he thought he could taunt her with Sully's absence. At the moment she continued being grateful that she didn't have to face him – because she still didn't know how.

She didn't know how because she simply couldn't get the picture of Sully's goodbye to Catherine out of her head. The gentle way he'd looked at the other woman, touched her. The softening of his voice when he assured her he would remember her… What a difference to the angry, almost disgusted manner he showed towards her when he walked away after their argument behind the barn the other night. Michaela was still taken aback that Sully had expected her to tell Catherine about their relationship. But what had stung even more was that he'd refused to tell her about other women in his past. Did that mean she was just one in a row of many or that her question had been out of place because she should know better? However, after witnessing his interaction with Catherine at the stagecoach, Michaela wasn't sure of anything anymore. Sully had acted as if she hadn't been there, as if it didn't matter to him whether she or anyone else saw how he showed his affection for another woman so openly. It had left a hole in her heart that still made her feel hollow inside.

Michaela sighed again, but then she pushed herself away from the door and went to her desk. She had no right to dwell on private thoughts and feelings when her friends Grace and Robert E. had been harassed by the entire town for the last two days. The couple had been the highest bidders on a house that was located between the saloon and the mercantile which made them neighbors to Loren, Jake and Hank. All three men hadn't made a secret of their dislike of having black people living next door, and Jedediah Bancroft from the Bank of Denver, who'd been the auctioneer, had promised them and the men from his so-called social club he'd brought with him that it wasn't over.

What he'd meant became clear that evening when a band of white-cloaked, hooded men gave Robert E. a very bad beating in the hope he would be intimidated enough to give up on his house. But that hadn't worked so they wrecked the café last night, and since the Ku Klux Klan members from Denver hadn't left town yet, Michaela was positive it wasn't over. Despite all the threats and violence, Robert E. continued to refuse rescinding the sales contract. Michaela was resolved more than ever to support him and Grace in every way she could.

After letting out a long breath, Michaela determinedly put her bag on her desk, took off her light-brown leather coat and hung it on the peg next to the door. Then she retrieved the files she would need for her morning appointments from the cabinet before finally settling in her chair, expecting the first patient's knock on the door any minute now. She didn't have to wait long and the slow but steady stream of patients kept her busy all morning.

As noon approached, she decided to have lunch at Grace's, wanting everyone to see that she continued to stand by her friends. After locking the clinic, she turned into the small passage between her building and the telegraph office. She walked purposefully until a sense of foreboding made her steps falter momentarily. The hairs on her neck stood, but shaking off the unpleasant feeling she resumed walking. The café appeared to be empty until she spotted Grace sitting on a chair at a table in the background. From where she was standing, Michaela could tell that something was clearly wrong. Grace's face was streaked with tears and her gaze empty, and Robert E. held her in a tight embrace, rocking her gently.

Rushing towards them, Michaela asked concerned, "What happened?"

For a second, Robert E. lifted his arms so she could see Grace's ruined hair. It had been crudely chopped close to her skull, making the humiliation visible for a long time.

"This time they didn't even wait till dark," the blacksmith said bitterly, taking his wife in his arms again.

Michaela could tell by the apathetic way her friend reacted to her husband's attempt to console her that she was in a state of shock. There was only one way to help: she needed to get Grace out of town.

"I want you to take Grace to the homestead," she instructed Robert E. "The children will be home from school in an hour and I will send for Matthew to come home as well. They won't dare to hurt you at my place."

Although Robert E. wasn't so sure about this assessment, he still agreed. He didn't know what else to do. Apart from that, Grace was very fond of Colleen and Brian so he hoped their presence would help.

xxx

"Would you like some potatoes, Miss Grace?" Brian asked as they ate supper at the homestead that night. He tried to hide his anxiety as he held up the bowl for her to take some.

"No, thank you, Brian," she answered in a flat voice, not changing her still pose with averted, unseeing eyes.

Although their being at Dr. Mike's hadn't improved his wife's condition yet, Robert. E turned to the doctor, thanking her, "It's kind of you to let us stay in the barn, Dr. Mike."

Michaela shrugged lightly. "It's the least that I can do," she replied, her expression indicating she wished she was able to do more.

Wanting to understand because he'd never met someone like her and her family before, the blacksmith wondered, "Why are you so different from them?" he didn't have to explain who he meant.

For a moment Michaela contemplated how to respond, wanting to give an honest explanation. Eventually she said, "My father was an Abolitionist, and he taught me that all people are equal. I teach my children the same." Robert E. nodded in understanding and they continued their meal.

After this short dialogue, silence filled the small cabin again. Only the occasional scrape of a utensil against a plate was cutting it momentarily. That was why they all startled when they heard the sudden loud commotion in the yard. Matthew was the first to jump up from his chair, running to the door. When he opened it, white-hooded figures with torches in their hands were revealed, standing next to an erected tall, more than head-high, wooden cross. As the man in front of his fellow henchmen touched it with his torch it burst into flames, and the man began to chant the Ku Klux Klan's hymn. By then all the others were on the porch as well, the children holding on to each other with fearful eyes while Grace clung to her husband with visible terror. Seeing his siblings in such a distress sent Matthew over the edge.

"You have no right to be here. Get off!" he yelled at the intruders.

He didn't make an impression on them though. In the contrary, the leader gestured to his followers, shouting, "Let's get them!" and advanced toward the house.

No one had paid attention to Michaela. She went from being horrified to being angry in the blink of an eye as she watched the men coming closer, threatening her children. With a quick move, she reached for the rifle that stood right next to the door, released its safety catch and hurried to the porch steps. Without allowing herself to think she shot the rifle high into the air, giving a warning. The following stunned silence was disturbed only by the crackling of the fire, and her scornful voice left no doubt about her intentions. "You are trespassing," she shouted. "If you don't leave immediately I will aim my next shot at one of you!"

Obviously the men didn't see her as a threat, because their leader scoffed in disbelief and then resumed his moving toward the house.

He was lucky that Michaela was shaking with returning terror by now, which he thankfully couldn't see, because as announced, her second shot was directed at him. However, it didn't hit him but the dirt right before his feet. Thinking this was deliberate Bancroft finally caved in, gesturing for his companions to follow him back to their horses. His men were already running, startled by the unexpected resistance they were facing. Two minutes later the yard lay quiet again, safe for the crackling of the still burning cross.

Michaela and the children had a hard time convincing their friends to stay with them. It was Matthew who at last ended the discussion. "If you go we will go, too," he firmly told Robert E.

As the blacksmith looked at the family he could easily read their expressions: they wouldn't leave their side, at least not tonight.

It took them a while before they all had recovered from the shock they'd just experienced. "Children, it's time to get some sleep," Michaela eventually said an hour later, determined to bring some normality back. "You have school in the morning," she reminded Colleen and Brian as she ushered them to their beds.

Matthew rose from his chair as well. "Good night," he said and went towards the door. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a strange flickering light outside the window, and it took him a few moments until he comprehended what he saw. "Oh my god," he exclaimed horrified. "The barn's on fire!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The family and their friends fought the fire with everything they had, but when the hay that was stored in the loft ignited, it burned like tinder and fed the flames anew. The scorching heat drove them back, and they at last admitted defeat regarding the barn. But the house still stood, and they concentrated all their power on saving it. Fortunately the well was quite full, and while the adults hauled up the water and poured it over the roof and the porch, Colleen and Brian tried to keep the cow calm so it wouldn't try to break away from where it was tethered to a tree. If it ran away it would get hurt on the sloping ground that surrounded the homestead and they couldn't afford to lose the animal. Earlier, they had set the horses free, knowing they would later find their way back home on their own. Michaela was aware that the chances for the chickens to survive in the wilderness were extremely slim, but they shooed them out of their coop anyway.

In the wee hours the fire had finally exhausted itself, and all that was left of the barn were two blackened end walls connected by a skeleton of charred beams. An uneven layer of soft ash covered the ground, still smoking here and there. At last Robert E. made sure there was nothing left that could cause a new fire. When the imminent danger was over they all realized how bone-tired they were. Before they could think of sleep they needed to clean themselves though, and it was only then that Michaela found out that Colleen had an ugly burn on her wrist. Yet the physical pain wasn't the worst. Now that they were able to relax somewhat it became apparent how shaken both children were. They stayed as close to Michaela as possible without making her trip over them, and not for the first time that night Michaela wished Sully was with them. This wasn't about their relationship; it was the friend they were missing. They'd feel safer with him around. Actually, she alternated between longing for his presence and being angry that he wasn't with them the same way she had done it before: when lightning hit the barn and he spent his time in the woods while she and Matthew struggled with the flames.

Although utterly worn out, Michaela wasn't able to drift off when she finally lay in her bed. They had almost lost their home tonight, and only now did this fact have time to sink in. With Colleen clinging to her right arm and Brian snuggled against her left side, both in deep slumber, she couldn't help but wonder if it was her fault that the children had been exposed to such danger. After all, it was she who'd offered her friends shelter, assuming the Klansmen would attack them again at night if they stayed in town. It hadn't occurred to her that they would dare to threaten them when they would stay with her. But on the other hand, how would she have been able to live with herself if something had happened to Robert E. and Grace only because she was too afraid to help them? And afraid she was, despite the knowledge that she had done the right thing. But if she'd learned something in her life then it was this: running away from your fears was never a solution for they would eventually catch up with you again.

Robert E. and Grace must have come to the same conclusion that their presence endangered the family because in the morning, they told Michaela that they appreciated her support but it was their battle to fight, not hers. Michaela didn't agree with them but, at the same time, couldn't help but feel relieved. She was responsible for her children's safety and couldn't bear the thought that they were hurt because of her actions.

However, she knew she had to confront the men in town or things would go further out of hand. So, after changing Colleen's bandage at the clinic in the morning, she told the children to stay put and marched over to the saloon, her anger prevailing over her fear, now that she had seen the ugly wound on her daughter's soft skin again.

As expected she found Bancroft and a few of his followers at the bar, and she made a beeline for them. Without preamble, she went in the banker's face, seething. "How dare you burn a cross at my home and then set my barn on fire!"

The banker gaped at her for a moment before he retorted, "I am getting a little tired of these accusations, so, unless you got any proof, you can take yourself outside and tell it to a fence post."

"I have all the proof and witnesses I need. It's been you who brought this so-called social club to our town. My son was there when you swore all the men in. And it's your ridiculous costumes the attackers were wearing when they came to my house." Michaela's tone had risen with every word she spoke and her eyes were shooting daggers at her vis-à-vis.

Bancroft's jaws were working hard and he looked like a fish out of water. However, after taking a shot of his whiskey he had collected himself. After all, they wore their uniforms for such occasions. No one could be singled out. "That's no proof," he informed her, his tone condescending. "Anyone could have been under those robes."

But it took more than such feeble an argument to discourage Michaela. "Let's wait and see what the marshal will say about that." She was raising her chin, and everyone who was acquainted with her knew she meant business.

Since she had only eyes for the man in front of her she didn't notice the glance Jake and Hank were exchanging. "Just wait a moment," the barber began but was silenced by a look from Jedediah Bancroft.

"The marshal won't even come when he hears what this is about," the banker turned back to Michaela, dismissing her and hoping the men from town would be pacified by his words and the woman who still tried to stare him down would finally leave. Taking in a deep breath for she was far away from being done, Michaela opened her mouth again, but the following words weren't spoken by her.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." All heads turned towards the back door where the man whose voice had chimed in stood. "In Tennessee, Governor Brownlow has just declared martial law in the Ku Klux Klan crisis. A Colorado marshal might not turn a blind eye on what has happened here, especially when he learns that the town doctor's property has been destroyed by an arson attack carried out by Klansmen," the stranger continued, holding Bancroft's gaze. Again, the banker's jaws started working as he searched for a counterargument. After another sip from his whiskey he came up with, "That's wishful thinking. The army has their hands full with chasing dog soldiers here these days."

Jake and Hank had turned away from the conversation, occupied by their own worries. They exchanged a look of understanding: Even the slightest chance of the town being put under martial law would be bad for business. Very bad indeed. Apart from that they acknowledged that the doctor was needed in town; not that they would ever admit that out loud. However, it was time to take sides.

"Dr. Mike," Jake addressed her under his breath, and when she didn't react but kept her attention on the discussion before her, he leaned over the bar and lightly touched her arm. "Dr. Mike," he repeated, and this time she turned towards him. "If we'd known about the fire we'd helped, but you didn't ring the alarm bell."

The ire in her eyes made him take a step back. "Do you really think I would ask for the help of the men who set my barn on fire in the first place? And apart from that we needed every hand at the homestead to save at least the house," she hissed at him. Already with her eyes back on the stranger she added, "If you still want to help you could build me a new barn." Her tone was sarcastic but that was lost on Jake. He looked at Hank who raised his eyebrows and shrugged before pulling at his cigar again, turning back to the discussion in front of him.

Michaela was contemplating the stranger who still debated with Bancroft. There was something familiar about the man she couldn't quite grasp. It was neither his looks nor his voice but rather the way he discussed the problem at hand: calm and in control of his emotions but determined to drive his arguments home and win this fight. She knew only one person who could do that. David. But David was dead. She had been at his funeral. Despite herself, she was intrigued.

"You might be a high-ranking banker in Denver," the stranger was just saying to Bancroft, "but I know the editor of The Denver Post. I'm positive he would love to write about your hobby and how you encouraged an entire town to become arsonists."

"Hey! We weren't with him last night," Hank defended himself and his fellow citizens. "The fire goes on him, not us."

He wasn't aware that these words ended the discussion because now, Bancroft couldn't hide any longer behind the shield the townsfolk of Colorado Springs had provided for his small group. He fumbled in his trouser pocket for some coins, slammed them onto the counter harrumphing, "This should cover for our stay." Then he turned to his henchmen. "Let's get out of here. These people don't appreciate good politics."

Counting the money, Hank scoffed. Although he still didn't want Robert E. as his neighbor, even less he wanted for his saloon to suffer. A bad reputation would ruin his plans of expanding his business because then people from other areas would stay away from Colorado Springs.

The relief Michaela was feeling when she watched the banker leave the room for packing his things was immense. Not only would her family be safe from his actions now, but Robert E. and Grace as well. Gratefully she approached the stranger who held her gaze only for the tiniest moment. "Thank you," she said as she proffered her hand. "I'm Michaela Quinn, MD. I haven't seen you in town before."

Her statement held a question and the man answered it while shaking her hand, "My name is Andrew Strauss. I arrived only last night." Anticipating her next question he went on, "I'm a naturalist and here collecting research for a book."

Michaela's smile was wide and warm hearing this news. "Welcome to our little town, Mr. Strauss."

While Michaela was pleased and looking forward to future discussions with Mr. Strauss, at the other side of the continent, on a train bound for Baltimore, Sully woke with a start. It was a strong sense of foreboding that had ended his fitful sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Sully's sudden move had woken Catherine as well. She lifted her head from his shoulder, and laying her hand on his arm she searched his eyes. "Are you alright?" she asked concerned.

If he hadn't still been occupied by the unsettling feeling the dream had left behind, Sully might have smiled. All through their journey this had been his line, and he had felt compelled to pose said question quite often as long as they were on a stage coach. The constant jostling of the vehicle, even on the more traveled trails, triggered another fit before they eventually reached St. Louis. Fortunately this time, Catherine felt the seizure coming and took the medicine Michaela had given to her for such an occasion. Although it wasn't necessary to take a room at the next stop again, Sully had thought it too risky to put her on the train on her own for the last leg of her long way home.

So here they were, with only about two more hours to go to Baltimore. Over the last days, Sully had been calm with the knowledge that he was doing the right thing, convinced Michaela would see it the same once he told her about Catherine's bad condition. But with Michaela on his mind now, his heart was thumping too fast and almost painfully in his chest, fueling his uneasiness. However, seeing the anxiety in Catherine's eyes, he pulled himself together. "Just a dream," he mumbled dismissively. "Just a dream."

Then he straightened on his seat, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with their physical closeness. Up to now it had been natural for him to take Catherine's hand when she needed reassurance or offer his shoulder for a more comfortable resting. Shifting slightly, he put some distance between their bodies. But his pulse was still racing, and the small cabin became suffocating, and clearing his throat he announced, "I gotta stretch my legs."

Catherine nodded mutely, sensing that the easy comradeship they had maintained during their journey was gone. She knew Sully cared for her, he'd told her as much when she'd asked him why he came with her, and she couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, he felt more. After all, he'd spent all his money so he could accompany her. And during the trip he had shown not only concern for her well-being but also prepared her for her new life. He helped her brush her English and dormant reading skills up and explained how the white man's world was functioning these days. It was easy for her to recognize that he not simply disapproved but rather despised politics and the way the Indians were treated. Maybe she could at least hope he would take her back with him to the frontier if she couldn't settle in with the people who claimed to be her family.

Pacing the narrow space outside the cabins of their car, Sully was mulling over the situation as well. However, is thoughts went to the opposite direction from Catherine's. His feelings towards her hadn't changed but, despite his constant self-assurance, he knew Michaela would be angry with him when he returned home. He just didn't know how angry, and there was only one solution: he had to get back to Colorado Springs as fast as possible. He also needed to send a wire although he didn't have any money to spare. Speaking of money, he had to find a very quick way to earn enough so he could buy the ticket that would put him on the train Saint Louis. He just had to trust he would be lucky and find a job. But first he had to take Catherine from the train to her new home to her family. He remembered all too well how overwhelmed he had been when he arrived in Boston a few months ago, and it might be even worse for her.

Baltimore proved to be not much different from Boston. The train station didn't have so many platforms and the building wasn't as big either, but the crowd of travelers was still intimidating for someone who wasn't used to it. Sully would have insisted on having Catherine close by all the time if he had been able to afford to pay a porter. Since he needed to take care of her luggage himself, he took her to a spot next to the entrance of the train station where people couldn't push her around.

When he returned with her bags and the directions to the address they'd been given, he could tell she hadn't budged, but her features were grayish and pinched. "Can you walk?" he asked concerned, worrying what he would do if she said no.

She nodded though, and Sully breathed a silent sigh of relief. "Let's go."

The color returned to Catherine's face with every step that took them away from the station. "Does it look familiar?" Sully asked hopefully when he saw her scan the homes left and right.

"No," she shook her head. "I have never seen so many houses before. So many people…" Her voice trailed off.

There was no need for her to explain her feelings because Sully shared them. The buildings, up to three stories high, huddled together as if fearing they'd fall apart if their neighbors wouldn't support them. There was no room for trees on the sidewalks, and although a sewer system kept the waste water off the street, the smell of smoke from the chimneys mixed with that of horse droppings and unwashed bodies was unpleasant. However, the further they went the more often gaps interrupted the rows of houses, so there was hope the address they were heading for was out of the center of town.

Sully asked a couple of times for directions again, and when they reached Lexington Market he knew they were finally close to their destination. Catherine's eyes grew wide at seeing the lines of makeshift tables with potted vegetable plants and flowers, tall pyramids built of apples, baskets of all sizes, bolts of cloths and other wares. Never had she been confronted with such a variety and richness of things in one place before. She couldn't imagine that all these things were actually needed and began to wonder if the relatives who asked her to join them participated in this wasteful life. Her tribe had taught her to always be careful with food and clothing. They were necessary but more important was a healthy spirit.

Only when Sully cleared his throat and looked at her questioningly did she realize she had stopped in her tracks and was gaping as she was taking in the place. "Ready to go?" he asked softly. When she nodded he informed her, "I asked again, and your people live in a house right around the next corner."

Word about their arrival had traveled faster than they, and when they turned around said corner, a gathering of people expected them. That this was not a friendly welcome Sully realized when an older man pushed through the crowd and directed a rifle at him. "Let her go or I'm gonna shoot!" the man growled and took aim at him. "Now!" he shouted.

Sully hadn't even noticed that he was holding Catherine's hand again. He looked down at their linked fingers and then up into her eyes. They were wide with fear, and when they rolled back into her skull, all he could do was soften her fall by cradling her head before it hit the pavement. Simultaneously a shot was fired, and it was Sully's bending down that saved his life.

During the following ruckus hands grabbed for him to get him away from Catherine, someone demanded to call the police to arrest the Indian, and people grew only quiet when a small, white-haired woman kneeled down next to the young woman. "Catherine!" she sobbed and brushed the blond hair from her granddaughter's brow. "You are back," she whispered.

Sully, being roughly pulled up and held between two very angry looking men pointed with his chin to his medicine pouch that hung around his neck. "I've got something that will help her," he told the old woman, but the man with the gun pushed the butt of his rifle against Sully's chest. "My granddaughter won't have nothing from an Indian anymore, and you will hang for what you did!"

Sully knew the man wasn't thinking rational, that grief and anger were consuming him. Nevertheless, he had to get through to him. "It's a medicine from the Colorado Spring's town doctor. Sh…" He stopped himself. Revealing that the physician was a woman would make things only worse. Silently asking Michaela for forgiveness for not acknowledging her he continued, "Dr. Quinn found out that Miss Catherine is suffering from epilepsy. There's a letter in her bag."

Slowly, the old man began lowering his gun. Hearing the stranger talk in perfect English it dawned on him that it was not an Indian who was standing before him. Taking a closer look he noticed the piercing blue of his eyes as well, but the way his granddaughter's companion was clad kept him suspicious. "Who are you?" he eventually asked.

"The name is Sully," Sully responded, proffering his hand. When it wasn't accepted, he let it fall to his side but continued, "Catherine isn't used to your world and she is sick. I thought it better to make sure she would make the trip safely. It's a long way to go."

"Sully?" Upon hearing Catherine's weak call both men turned to her. Still restraint, Sully wasn't able to get to her, but her grandfather did. He helped her into a sitting position. Seeing panic creeping into her eyes when she noticed the way Sully was held back the old men gestured, "Let him go."

This wasn't the reception Sully had expected, and when he opened his medicine pouch he was aware of the wary scrutinizing he was under. He could only hope no one had actually called the police yet, because if he was arrested, it might take much more time than he had to get home to Colorado.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The children stayed with Michaela at the clinic all morning, even after she told them that the Klansmen would leave town. Colleen busied herself with tasks she usually avoided, like rolling bandages. Brian kneeled on the bench beneath the window which was looking out on the street. His forearms rested on the windowsill while he scanned the area around the saloon. When it was close to noon he huffed quietly and relaxed somewhat. "They just took the road out of town," he announced and turned around to sit. He fidgeted with his hands before he looked at Michaela who stood at the examination table, sorting her instruments after she had sterilized them. "They ain't coming back, ain't they?" he asked her, his expression still anxious.

"No, Sweetheart, they won't," Michaela assured him. She stepped towards him and bent down so she could lock eyes with him. Stroking his hair, she reiterated what she'd already told him a few times, "Mr. Strauss had made it very clear to those men, especially to Mr. Bancroft, that he wouldn't shy back from ruining their reputation by using his connections to some major newspapers. A banker like Mr. Bancroft can't afford that. So yes, I'm positive that the Ku Klux Klan has left town. They won't bother us again."

"Can Robert E. and Grace live in their new house now?" Colleen put the book she had leafed through back on the shelf and looked at her mother.

"Certainly," Michaela replied, straightening. "They've paid for it and now it's theirs."

"Good," Brian stated and stretched his body. When a low rumbling from his stomach was heard, he grinned sheepishly. "I'm hungry," he admitted.

"Well, then let's go and have lunch," Michaela smiled and hugged him.

Andrew Strauss was Grace's only customer when Michaela approached the café with her children. The reason for this was either because of the early hour or the white people of Colorado Springs hadn't made their peace yet with Robert E. and his wife's decision to move into the town's center.

As soon as Mr. Strauss saw the small family approaching, he rose from his chair. Pointing to the empty places at his table he asked, "Would you mind joining me? I could use some company."

Michaela didn't need further invitation. Something about this man intrigued her. Again did she notice that he had something about him that was vaguely familiar. She couldn't put her finger on it but was determined to find out more about him.

"We don't mind one bit," she replied, smiling broadly. Laying her hand on Brian's shoulder and hugging Colleen to her side he introduced them. "These are my children, Colleen and Brian. My son Matthew is out at the ranch. Its owner, Miss Olive, has offered to take in our cow until we will be able to rebuild our barn."

"And your horses can stay in my stable as long as necessary," Robert E. chimed in.

Michaela hadn't noticed him standing in the shadow next to the oven and startled at hearing his voice. Taking in a deep breath she put her hand on her chest, and when her heart had found its normal rhythm again, her smile was back in place. "That's very kind of you," she said.

Gesturing for the children to sit down while she lowered herself onto the chair Mr. Strauss had pulled out for her, she continued, "I will try to get things back to normal as quickly as possible."

"And I think I can help," the blacksmith replied. "I have asked some people in shanty town, and they agreed to help with putting up your new barn." He and the doctor exchanged a look, both knowing that if Sully were in town no help would have been needed. But he wasn't here.

"Thank you," Michaela told her friend. "I appreciate that."

They had barely sat down when Dorothy came rushing towards them. "Oh, Michaela, I've just heard! Is it true?" she demanded, sounding accusing rather than concerned.

"Is what true?" Michaela frowned questioningly.

"That you shot at the men last night!" the red-head exclaimed.

"Yes, I did," Michaela replied, still calm.

"But Loren could have been with them!" Dorothy was incredulous, staring daggers at the young doctor.

Although Michaela realized that this thought hadn't occurred to her last night due to the frantic state she was in, she still retorted, "Those men threatened my family. They were ready to storm the house and I had to protect my children and friends."

"What if you had shot Loren?" Dorothy insisted, and when Michaela didn't respond she straightened her posture, announcing, "Things have gone too far and I will do something about that."

Irritated now, Michaela looked at the retreating figure of her friend, wondering what she was up to. When she suddenly knew there would soon be an article in the Gazette that might make the situation for her friends worse again, she rose from her chair. "Please excuse me," she said to Mr. Strauss and then instructed the children, "You stay here. I'll be right back."

Michaela caught up with Dorothy in the middle of the main street. She reached for the other woman's arm and made her stop in her stride towards the mercantile. "What's wrong with you?" she demanded angrily. "Why do you turn against Robert E. and Grace? Because they bought a house? I thought you liked them!"

She didn't notice that her raised voice was attracting an audience, but Dorothy did. Knowing that she had the support of the town, the red-haired raised her head defiantly. "No one says that Robert-E doesn't do good work at the livery and we all adore Grace's cooking…"

Impatiently, Michaela interrupted, "So they can serve you but can't live next door to you? Is that it?"

Dorothy's tone was somewhat condescending when she retorted, "We are all God-fearing folks, but things are the way they are for a reason. We should all stick with our own kind. It's the only way to keep peace."

"That's preposterous." Michaela couldn't believe she had to have this discussion with the woman she had thought was her friend. "We all are human beings, and the color of our skin doesn't matter who we are inside. The people in Washington have passed new laws…"

This time it was Dorothy who didn't let her finish. "People in Washington don't live here. We do. You are not from here, Michaela, but you always try to change things."

Being reminded that she was still seen as a stranger stung, and becoming aware now of the onlookers due to their appraising murmuring, the doctor looked around. Although she knew many of them, had even treated some of them, they all felt like strangers to her right now. Her gaze didn't meet even one friendly face, and all of a sudden, a feeling of loneliness hit her. For a moment she was tempted to just turn and leave them to their self-righteousness, but her will to make them see reason didn't allow that. Looking back at Dorothy she said, "Well, someone has to try. And you should ask yourself if it is really right to kill a man for buying a house."

Hank, leaning against a post on his porch, scoffed, "Don't be so dramatic, Michaela. No one was killed."

"Only because I shot at them!" She still couldn't believe she had done that, but she also knew she didn't have a choice. Scowling at the barkeeper she hissed, "They came to my house, brandishing burning torches, and Bancroft told his men to get Robert E. and Grace. Do you think he wanted to invite them for coffee?"

Hank raised his shoulders and smirked. He didn't care what would have happened. Right now he was simply enjoying that he had provoked the doctor. Again.

Michaela shook her head, realizing it was useless to say more at this moment. Glancing at Dorothy she noticed that at least her patronizing expression had vanished. All she could do was hope that she would reconsider her position when she wrote her intended article.

When Michaela returned to the café she saw that Mr. Strauss and the children were engrossed in a conversation. As she joined them at the table, she first apologized for her sudden leaving and then asked, "Did I just hear the word "glacier"?"

"Yep." Brian beamed at her. "And Mr. Strauss said he would show us how they made the mountains as soon as he's done with his research here. How long will this take?" he wondered, turning towards the naturalist.

The man chuckled. "That depends on if I can find a good guide here. You don't happen to know one?" he asked, smiling at the boy.

"Oh," Brian replied, suddenly crestfallen again. "Sully ain't here."

Questioningly Mr. Strauss looked at Michaela. "The two of them are friends," she explained, "and no one knows the woods around here as well as Sully."

Seeing the doctor's face cloud over at speaking the name of the man he'd met two weeks ago, Andrew Strauss silently wondered what had happened that made her so sad.

Carefully he revealed, "I've come across a Mr. Sully in Denver. His wife had fainted after the stage coach ride, and they took a room next to mine at the boarding house. Could this be the Mr. Sully you are talking about?"

"Dr. Mike?" Colleen looked at Michaela, something akin to fear on her face. Brian was too stunned to speak but turned to his mother as well.

After swallowing the hurt, Michaela offered a weak smile to her children. "It's alright," she assured them, and although the hole in her heart had just made itself painfully known again, she added, "He is still our friend."

Xxx

That afternoon, Sully embarked a train in Baltimore after Catherine's family had profoundly apologized, thanked him and paid the ticket for his journey back to Colorado Springs. However, he couldn't help but wonder if it was too late, if Michaela had made decisions she wouldn't take back.

.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Mr. Bancroft and his men had been gone for over a week, but Michaela still kept the rifle within reach by the bed. When she couldn't sleep, which was almost every night lately, she would glance at it from time to time. The malicious glint of its barrel made her nervous, but she couldn't make herself put it away. Deep down she was aware that the weapon didn't guarantee her safety. In fact, it was her belief that it did rather the opposite; guns often caused more problems than they solved. She knew she would have never gotten over it if she'd actually shot the banker, but at least for now, it helped her to be able to hold on to something solid and secure. Yet there was something else that disturbed her even more than the banker.

It was Mr. Strauss. Michaela was unsettled by the feeling of familiarity she felt towards him that had only grown the more time they spent together. Maybe it was because he spoke with the distinct accent of a Bostonian, although he'd told her he was from Philadelphia and had studied at Yale. She couldn't help it: he sounded like home. In addition, he used Bay Rum, a scent she would never forget. David had used the very same cologne. And there were so many other little things, like the way the man had adjusted the microscope and peered through its lenses to examine a plant he had found on his strolls through the woods. Watching him, she could have sworn it was her late fiancé working with the instrument. He tilted his head in a way she had seen many times before. It was eerie, and she began to fear that she was starting to lose her mind. Perhaps the strain of the events of the last few weeks, especially Sully's turning to another woman, was taking its toll on her. Maybe she was hoping for things that were now lost to her forever. It would probably have helped if she had someone she could talk to, but her relationship with Dorothy had barely improved even though the red-head had refrained from writing an article about Robert E. and Grace. Discussing her concerns with the children was, of course, out of the question. The only friend she could think of was Snow Bird. Maybe her Cheyenne friend could help her see clearer and solve the mystery of her growing attraction to Mr. Strauss. After reaching this decision, Michaela turned over and finally fell asleep.

The first hour at the clinic the next morning was quiet, and Michaela was able to catch up with and get her patient files in order. She didn't have any appointments booked until late in the afternoon and she planned to use this free time to go out to the reservation. She was clearing her desk when a commotion outside caught her attention. People were running towards the mercantile and shouts could be heard. She was on her way to the door when Horace pulled it open from the other side. His tone was grave when he informed her, "Dr. Mike, it's the reverend. You gotta come quick, he's calling for you."

It transpired that the stagecoach the reverend had been travelling on had been attacked just outside of town. He had survived, although sadly the same couldn't be said about the driver and the other passengers. He was, however, losing a lot of blood from a gunshot wound in his arm. "Help me get him to the clinic," Michaela urged Robert E. and Jake who were closest to her.

She had almost finished bandaging the reverend's arm when another disturbance erupted from the main street. This time it was an army wagon that had pulled to a halt before the clinic. As Michaela stepped down from the porch, still wiping her hands on a towel, she observed General Custer taking stock. "This one is dead, him, too. This one is still alive," he said pointing, and then spoke to her. "Dr. Quinn, see what you can do for this Indian so I can question him."

When Michaela approached her patient, the mutilated body of the young man jerked with a spasm and then lay utterly still. "It looks as if I won't be needing your services after all," Custer said dryly before he turned towards two of his soldiers that were obviously waiting for him. "What do you want?"

Standing at attention as the general's eyes fixed on them, they saluted and one of them said, "Asking for permission to take the supplies to the Indian village."

Instantly, Custer's almost bored expression vanished and he answered in a brisk tone, "That's out of the question. I can't spare you after we lost Miller this morning."

Michaela, who was still bent over the wagon bed to make sure there wasn't any signs of life in the Indians laying there, straightened and chimed in. "I could take the food to the village. I intended to go there anyway."

Brushing a wisp of hair from her brow, she faced the general who regarded her with a calculating look. On the one hand, the army was responsible for supplying the reservations in the area with food, and he wouldn't mind getting this task off his hands. On the other hand, it was his job to protect the white citizens from the Indians. Although he admired the doctor in a way, she was getting on his nerves too.

"There been an increase in Cheyenne war parties. I suggest you stay close to town," he eventually stated coldly. Michaela's temper instantly rose and she said angrily, "The people in the village are starving. There is a contract you have to fulfil. The government promised to…"

"Fine," Custer cut in. "But I can't spare an army wagon either, and everything you do, you do at your own risk."

Xxx

Mr. Strauss ran into Michaela as she was halfway to her destination. The naturalist didn't hesitate to volunteer to accompany her, disguising his offer as an opportunity for him to meet the tribe's medicine man. Michaela saw through him and knew that this was only part of his motive, and that he didn't want her to be out on her own in the woods. She could have told him that she was perfectly capable of doing whatever she wanted, and that she had ridden to the reservation on her own countless times, but she didn't. She had the feeling, that on this occasion, it might be good to have someone with her.

And she was right. When at last they arrived at the reservation, the reception she received was very different from that of her earlier visits. Normally, children would run around and even come up to her to greet her. Today, most of the Cheyenne seemed to be waiting for her, forming something akin to a wall between her and the teepees. As she pulled the wagon to a stop a short distance in front of them, Cloud Dancing stepped forward. "What can we do for you, Dr. Mike?" he asked formally, his facial expression unreadable.

Michaela frowned but acted as if everything was normal. Jumping down onto the ground from her seat, she explained, "The army said they don't have the resources to bring the food to you, so I did."

Standing next to the wagon, she pointed, "Here's beans and corn, too, and it's all good. I have a dozen sacks of flour, and there is not one worm in it. I checked."

"Thank you, Dr. Mike," Cloud Dancing said, startling her for she hadn't heard him coming up behind her. He briefly touched her shoulder to reassure her before he turned towards his people, gesturing for them to help unload.

It only took a few minutes for them to empty the wagon. There was an awkward pause and then the medicine man looked at her. "Today is not a good day to stay," he told her, pleading with his eyes for her understanding.

"I see," she responded and climbed back on to her seat next to Mr. Strauss who had never gotten down. "I'll come back another time," she promised before she flicked the reins and turned the wagon in the direction of town.

"I can't help but think we escaped a dangerous situation," Andrew said quietly after they had put some distance between them and the Cheyenne.

"We did," Michaela agreed, glancing at him. She was wondering how much to tell him, but then she remembered how he had helped her with the Ku Klux Klan. Looking at the trail ahead of them again, she elaborated, "I assume there were dog soldiers in the village. Cloud Dancing didn't want us to see them nor them us; he wanted to protect us from them." She was silent for a moment before she continued, "I admit I am glad they were at the reservation and not outside it. I knew there was a possibility they might find me in the woods on my way to the reservation."

Mr. Strauss acknowledged her statement with a small nod. Before he was able to reconsider his words he commented, "You still went though, because you knew the Indians needed the food. You went because you have a conscience. And as Martin Luther said, it's neither right nor safe to go against your conscience."

Michaela gasped and pulled on the reins. She did so much harder than Bear was used to, and he didn't simply stop but went down on his hind legs, whinnying. Loosening her grip, Michaela tried to soothe the horse, talking quietly to it. Her mind, however, was elsewhere and when the animal had calmed down, the shock set in. Her heart raced, her hands began to shake and her face lost all color. Slowly, she turned to the man next to her. He avoided her gaze, but that didn't stop her.

"You _are_ David," she whispered. Almost if he had expected her to say that, he instantly denied, "You are mistaken. My name is Andrew Strauss."

But Michaela was positive now. He had used Luther's quote before, on the evening when they had argued about his signing up for the army. This was one coincidence too many.

"Look at me," she demanded quietly, and when he still didn't meet her gaze, she gently guided his chin until she could lock eyes with him. Another gasp escaped her, and she knew that if he had but looked at her fully before, as he did now, she would have recognized him immediately.

David was alive, and a violent surge of emotion spurred her heart into a new gallop. She couldn't sit idly any longer and jumped onto the ground. She nearly lost her footing yet David was already beside her to steady her. "Michaela." His voice was barely audible, and when tears began to blind his vision, all he could do was pull her into an embrace and hold her securely in his arms.

Xxx

On the train bound for St. Louis, Sully had finally fallen into a restless sleep. He was alone in the compartment and huddled under his jacket on the bench, his bunched-up bedroll a pillow. His eyes moved rapidly under the lids as he dreamed. He stood in the center of a lush green meadow in a small clearing. An overwhelming feeling of loneliness made it impossible for him to move when suddenly Michaela, wearing a simple white gown, was there. She was approaching him with a smile on her face that made his heart jump with joy. He reached for her, and as his fingertips touched her – she turned around and walked away, vanishing into thin air. A sudden sharp pain shot through his head, jolting him out of his sleep. Sitting upright, Sully ran his fingers through his hair, trying to calm himself down. He wished he could force the train to go faster.

He knew something was terribly wrong.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Stepping out of David's embrace, Michaela murmured, "I can't grasp this." She was pale and still trembling. Knowing her legs wouldn't support her much longer, she looked for a spot where it was safe to sit. The seat on the wagon looked like the best option, so she climbed up again. David followed her so she slid to the left, making room for him and absentmindedly handed him the reins.

"It's a shock, I know", he acknowledged and shifted so he was able to look at her. "Michaela, I'm sorry," he said sincerely, "I didn't mean any harm."

Registering the glazed expression in her eyes, he could tell that she hadn't heard him. As if in confirmation, she whispered to herself, "I don't understand."  
Michaela couldn't remember how many times she had longed to see David again. When the message had reached his family that he was dead, the bottom had fallen out of her world. Her dreams of having a family had been shattered and working at the hospital without his support had become like running a daily gauntlet. Her professional life had only improved after her father had taken her on as a partner in his practice. She had, however, continued to long for the man who had loved her as a woman, not just a doctor. And now he was here again. Taking in a deep breath and regaining a little of her composure, she turned towards him.

"It's been seven years. I want to know what happened," she said quietly.

David nodded. "I will tell you, in time."

Michaela shook her head. She wouldn't allow him to put off the explanations she needed. "I want to know now." Her voice was firm again.

Considering her for a moment, David at last relented. Looking straight ahead he reported emotionlessly, "I was left for dead at Bull Run after our hospital tent was struck by cannon fire. Farmers took me in. They nursed me back to life, except that it wasn't a life anymore. I was paralysed, couldn't speak and could barely see. Then I was recaptured and taken from one prison to another, until they brought me to Andersonville."

Michaela turned to him and gasped in horror, "Andersonville?"

He glanced at her and said matter-of-factly, "I don't want to talk about it." He didn't speak for a moment and then continued, "After the war was over I was barely conscious and learned that you had been informed I was dead. I thought it better to leave it at that."

They were silent for a moment, and David flicked the reins, urging the horse forwards. Michaela's mind was racing. Her fiancé had been gravely injured and needed treatment; she and her father would have been able to give him that and more. "Why didn't you send word? I would have come," she blurted out, looking at him in puzzlement.

David nodded but didn't meet her gaze. "I know. But you were young and beautiful and had all your life before you. I didn't want to burden you with a cripple."

Instantly, Michaela's temper stirred. "You should have let me decide that," she retorted sharply, clutching the sideboard as the wagon suddenly jolted over a rock.

He looked at her briefly, making sure she was still safe on her seat. "I thought it was the right thing to do. What I did, I did out of love," he responded, his tone indicating that he wouldn't discuss the matter further.

Remembering Sully's reaction when he had been bedridden following the savage beating he had endured at the hands of Rankin and his men, Michaela let the topic drop; for now.

Shortly before they reached town, Michaela spoke again.

"I need to explain the situation to the children. They are still at school, and Matthew won't be back from Miss Olive's ranch until later this afternoon. But I'd like you to have dinner with us at Grace's Café. Will you come?"

"Of course," he agreed without hesitating.

xxx

"I don't get what you are saying," Brian huffed and looked at his older brother for help. The family was gathered at the homestead. Michaela and Brian were sat on her bed, and Matthew, his forearms resting on the back of a chair he was straddling, was facing them. He was still too shocked to react, but Collen, standing next to him, exclaimed, "Andrew is David?" Scandalized, she crossed her arms over her chest.

Regaining his wits, Matthew added, "Then who is Andrew Strauss?"

Michaela sighed. As she had feared, the children were not taking the news well. She didn't hold it against them though. Having had some time to get accustomed to the fact that David was still alive, the shock had worn off and she felt relieved yet she was also upset that he had deceived her all these years. However, the children needed answers, and she would tell them everything she could.

"Andrew Strauss was another prisoner in the camp who had died in David's arms," she explained. "David was severely injured. He thought he would be crippled for good and didn't want anyone's pity. He didn't want to burden his family and me with a man who would need special care for the rest of his life, so he took on another man's name." Her voice was laced with disappointment when she spoke the last words. He should have known her love for him ran far deeper than just his outward appearance.

Colleen pulled her out of her musings when she blurted out in frustration. "What does this all mean? Are you still engaged?"

Michaela looked at her now wide-eyed daughter. She hadn't considered this yet and answered slowly as she contemplated this point.

"The engagement was never called off, so I think yes, we still are."

"What about Sully?" Matthew wondered out loud, frowning at Michaela.

"What about him?" she asked in return.

Collen stared at her in disbelief. "You're courting!" she reminded her, irritated, "Or you're meant to be."

Brian began to squirm next to his ma. He had never told his siblings what he had witnessed in one of the bedrooms at the clinic. He feared what would come next and this was confirmed, when Michaela agreed with his sister, "Yes, we were."

"But…" Colleen was momentarily lost for words. She had assumed all was well between Sully and Dr. Mike. Her big brother looked equally puzzled, and when she looked at him he lifted his shoulders as if to say he had no idea what was going on.

"But you said it was alright for him to go with Catherine. You even said you were glad he had," Colleen argued, trying to understand.

When Michaela didn't react she grew agitated. "You can't believe what Mr. Str… David said. Sully and Catherine not married; they can't be!" She nearly stomped her foot on the floor in agitation.

"I know that," Michaela responded quietly, looking down at her hands she was holding clasped in her lap. She should have talked to the children sooner. Now, it was proving too much for them to comprehend all at once. Taking a deep breath, she gazed up at her daughter.

"Courting is about finding out if you have enough in common, if you can build a life together. It seems that's not the case for Sully and I. Catherine gave him things I didn't, that I couldn't…" Her voice trailed off when Brian suddenly jumped up.

"It's all my fault. I should've never told you!" he shouted and started to run out of the room.

Michaela was right behind him though. Holding his arms, she crouched down before him and made him look at her.

"It's not your fault, Brian. Even if I hadn't learned about the kiss, I would have known Sully had feelings for her."

Colleen and Matthew glanced at each other in alarm. They were quiet as Michaela paused for a moment, contemplating how much to tell the children. She didn't want to damage their relationship with a man they adored. This was between her and Sully. They hadn't noticed the look of admiration on Sully's face as Catherine had emerged, wearing the Indian dress he had brought for her. Looking back now, Michaela was able to realise just how much this had bothered her. Unbidden, she remembered how her mother had felt when her father's head had turned at the sight of a younger, more beautiful woman.

If this had been the only incident, she could have tried to forget it. Yet she couldn't forget their ugly fight behind the barn. Thankfully, the children had not been awake to witness it. They had, however, all been there as the stagecoach made to leave town with Catherine aboard. To hear the things Sully had said to Catherine, to see the tenderness when he touched her.

Michaela swallowed the lump in her throat. She was aware that admitting things out loud would finally make them real. It was that why she had kept her thoughts to herself until now. However, she didn't have a choice anymore, there was no going back.

Her voice was unsteady as she locked eyes with Brian again.

"Sully told me he cared for Catherine, and I saw how much when he said good bye to her before he decided to leave with her."

The tension left the boy's shoulders; he remembered, too. The older children still tried to dismiss the notion of Sully turning away from Dr. Mike. When Michaela sat down on her bed again, Colleen suggested, "Maybe Brian didn't see…."

Michaela shook her head, pre-empting her daughter's attempt to dismiss her little brother's observation, "Sully confirmed it."

The room fell quiet as the Coopers absorbed this, and only the creak of a floorboards disturbed the silence as Brian stepped back to the bed and resumed his seat next to his ma.

After a few, long moments, Colleen repeated her question from earlier, her tone uncertain this time, "What does this all mean?"

Michaela sighed. There were two problems they faced, and they would need to be tackled together.

"I'd like for you to get to know David better. He is a good man and he deserves a chance," she said softly. "And I believe Sully is still your friend and a friend to this family," she added looking from one to another, hoping her voice sounded reassuring.

She wouldn't admit yet, even to herself, that the latter might just be wishful thinking. Sully had been gone for some time now, yet he hadn't even bothered to send a wire to confirm he'd arrived. His silence had hurt more than she'd expected.

xxx

Although Sully had had plenty time to rest on the train from Baltimore to St. Louis, he felt as if he hadn't slept for days. He was on the stagecoach now, and its jolting and swaying made it close to impossible for him to find a way to relax. He wondered why it had been easier when Catherine was with him. Maybe feeling responsible for her had distracted him from noticing how the travelling affected him, too. However, there was no other or faster way to get back to Colorado Springs than by stagecoach. All he had to do was trying to be patient and restrain himself from aggravating the driver further by continuing to urge him to go faster.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Would you please go to Loren and pick up my orders?" Michaela asked Colleen, hopping down from the wagon. It was mid-morning and the family had just arrived at the clinic.

"Sure," the girl replied, straightening her skirt after the bumpy ride. "Do you need anything else?" she wondered as she took the basket from the wagon bed. "Just my order, unless you see something we might need for dinner tonight," Michaela answered as she unlocked the clinic door. Brian, ready to follow her inside, suddenly spotted Mr. Lewis leaving the saloon, heading their way. Quickly, he piped up, "I'm going, too."

Following the direction of her son's gaze, Michaela sighed. Things had not been going as well as she had hoped over the last week. The light-hearted tone of the conversations from the days before they had known about David's true identity was gone. The questions the children asked him sounded forced now, and when he had tried to show interest in their activities, they replied in a rather taciturn way. Still, she smiled at Brian as she told him, "I'll be going to the reservation soon. If you want to accompany me, you best come back here as soon as possible and not linger by Mr. Bray's candy jars."

"Alright," he mumbled, not acknowledging her attempt to cheer him up and quickly ran after his sister.

Hank and Jake, having witnessed this little scene while standing on the saloon's porch, glanced at each other. This was their chance to finally get some answers, so they followed the children to the mercantile. They arrived there in time to hear Loren say to Colleen. "Why is this man always around Dr. Mike?" he enquired, his voice full of with both curiosity and disapproval. "Is he sick? What does he want from her?"

"He is her fiancé!" Colleen blurted out unhappily, putting her basket onto the counter. While Loren was stunned into silence momentarily, Dorothy turned in her chair, asking incredulously, "What do you mean, fiancé?" Of course she knew that there had been trouble in Michaela and Sully's paradise, but she hadn't believed for one second that the young doctor would turn to another man, and so quickly.

A chuckle from the entrance made everyone turn. "That was fast," Hank commented dryly, leaning against the doorframe. "You don't say," Jake cut in almost simultaneously as he stepped inside and gazed from one child to the other, visibly intrigued.

Colleen scowled at them, wishing the ground would open up and swallow her. She understood what these men were implying and set them straight immediately, "He's David. Dr. Mike's fiancé from Boston."

Puzzled now, the men looked at each other. "But he's dead!" Loren eventually exclaimed, suspecting a bad joke. "She told me so herself!"

"Well," Brian said glumly, "He ain't." He huffed as he turned his attention to the glass jar full of his favourite gum drops. He was mad at everyone these days. Mad at his ma that she wanted them to get along with David, mad at David that he didn't just leave town, but even madder at Sully who had left them and destroyed their hope of a life together.

Dorothy followed the boy with her eyes, sensing his discomfort. She got up from her chair at her editor's desk and stepped towards Colleen. Laying her hand on the girl's shoulder she bent slightly down towards her. "You better explain," she advised, on the one hand feeling for the girl but on the other, hoping for an anecdote she could write about in her Gazette.

While Colleen was telling Captain Lewis' story, Loren visibly relaxed. Dr. Mike's reputation wasn't in danger, and anticipating some excitement coming up, he rubbed his hands with glee. "When they getting' married?" he inquired. Without waiting for a response he went on, "Will they get married here? I hope they won't go back to Boston. We would finally have a real doctor here."

"Loren!" Dorothy scolded him, seeing the anger on Colleen's face. Hoping to distract the girl she posed the question she and her brother-in-law had discussed over the last two days. "Is it because of …David," she hesitated before she spoke the man's name, trying to get acquainted with it, and then continued, "that those black people are having dinner with you every evening now?"

Colleen rolled her eyes. "No. They helped build our new barn. That was Dr. Mike's way of saying thank you."

Losing interest at this change of topic, Hank and Jake left the mercantile heading back to the saloon for another morning whiskey. They had things to discuss and observe. Loren, however, gaped at Colleen. "What do you mean, built a barn? They didn't buy any lumber."

"They did, just not here," she said curtly. She hadn't forgotten that Mr. Bray had been friends with the Ku Klux Klan, and neither had Dr. Mike. Brian, putting some of his pocket money on the counter for the candy he had taken from the jar, explained for his sister, "Ma says it wouldn't be right to order the things for the new barn here, because you supported the people who burnt down our old one."

"Aw, Brian," Loren frowned at the boy, somewhat taken aback. "I didn't know they would do that."

Brian shrugged dismissively and looked at his sister. He was ready to go and hoped she was, too.

xxx

"Isn't it too dangerous to go to the reservation?" asked David concernedly as he watched Michaela put a few small, wooden boxes onto the wagon's bed.

"The army is farther north now," she replied somewhat absent-mindedly. She was still puzzling over the children's strange behaviour after they returned from the general store. She had almost detected a slight trace of hostility towards David in Colleen's eyes. Shaking her head to herself, she checked Bear's harness and didn't hear David's response to her remark. Only when he said her name a little louder did she react and look up. Having gained her attention now, he reiterated his question, "If the army has left the area, isn't it even more dangerous for you to go to the Indian village?"

Michaela shook her head. "It just means that the dog soldiers are further up north too. Besides, I also have patients to see outside of town. I have to go, no matter what."

As she climbed into the driver's seat, David hesitated a moment before he asked, "Do you think the Cheyenne medicine man will talk to me?" Michaela had already explained it was very unlikely that Cloud Dancing would share his medical knowledge with a stranger, but she was sure he would agree to have a conversation with any civil person. So she simply nodded, and David settled himself next to her.

They didn't stay long at the Cheyenne village. While David discussed a plant he couldn't identify with Cloud Dancing, Michaela tended to two of the warriors who were suffering from consumption. It pained her to see the men so unwell, but even more that she wasn't able to cure them.

Thus she was rather quiet on their way to the Shoemaker's homestead. The reverend had asked her the day before to go visit little Elsie who had come down with something, her mother wasn't sure what. It didn't seem to be very serious, but Mrs. Shoemaker was concerned. When Michaela and David arrived there, he entered the small cabin alongside her, just as he had over the last few days whenever she saw a patient. To Michaela it was natural; after all, they had worked side by side in Boson.

Completing her examination of Elsie, Michaela smiled at the concerned mother, "Your daughter has the measles. Just make sure that she takes the quinine to keep the fever down but more importantly, make sure she doesn't scratch."

A sigh of relief escaped the young mother and she said, "Thank you, Dr. Mike. For stopping by and all. We ain't got no money right now, but would you take a side of mutton?" She looked uncomfortable posing this question, unable to hide her embarrassment.

Michaela, however, smiled at her warmly. "Of course," she assured. "I will ask Matthew to stop by later and pick it up."

On her way out she paused and pivoted, "You should be prepared, your other children are likely to catch it too. The incubation period is…"

"Five days," David finished her line. The woman nodded gratefully and watched the two doctors leave her home.

Back in the wagon, Michaela's mood had greatly improved. Her eyes were shining again. Once she had flicked the reins and set the wagon into motion, she turned to David, wondering, "Don't you miss practicing medicine?"

He took a moment before he said, "No. I couldn't go back to it after Andersonville. I couldn't bear to see more suffering. I'd seen enough."

Recognizing that Michaela was struggling to understand his explanation, he admitted, "Cloud Dancing made me think though. He said he sees his share of suffering every day and knows he is fighting a losing battle. He understands how I feel." David paused for a moment before he continued, "He also said that I have a special gift, and you shouldn't dismiss such a gift. I wonder if he is right."

"He is," Michaela nodded. When David didn't respond, she stayed silent too, contemplating whether to encourage him to resume his career as a doctor even though she knew that what he was doing as a naturalist, trying to preserve as much of the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains, was important as well. But then she froze. What if he indeed wanted to work as a physician again? What if he wanted to practise together with her, here in Colorado Springs? Share her practice?

She hadn't allowed herself previously to think so far ahead. Certainly she had felt elated that David was alive. It was like a dream come true. She enjoyed his company and their conversations immensely, but she hadn't yet dared to pose the questions which were still troubling her. Would it be possible to reverse the pain he had caused her?

Suddenly a thought occurred to her, and she looked at him as she inquired, "Have you informed your family yet?"

"No, not yet," he admitted. Seeing her disappointment, his eyes pleaded with her to understand. "Michaela," he began, but she only shook her head, not wanting to hear another explanation nor apology. She'd heard enough of them.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Michaela and David didn't discuss anything meaningful for the remainder of their journey back to town; both were occupied with their own thoughts. Only when Michaela had pulled the wagon to a stop in front of the clinic and was preparing to climb down, did David touch her arm lightly, making her turn towards him. As she looked at him he asked quietly, "Are you happy, Michaela?"

She didn't reply immediately and averted her eyes. Knowing the significance her answer held, she took a moment to reflect on her life in Colorado Springs. She had been living in this town for over a year and a half by now. During this time, she had become a mother and opened her own clinic, the latter a dream come true. In addition, through her discussions and lessons with Cloud Dancing, she had been able to expand her medical knowledge beyond conventional scientific theory. On the downside, however, she had lost the man she had hoped to spend the rest of her life with. Yet this wasn't a new situation to her. Unwilling to follow this train of thought, especially with David watching her keenly, she eventually met his eyes again and replied sincerely, "About many things, yes."

For a few moments, they contemplated each other in silence. They were both rapidly jolted out of their private moment though as a fast approaching wagon abruptly stopped next to them.

"Dr. Mike, thank god you're here!" Matthew exclaimed as he jumped down on the street. Once the noise of the hoofbeats and clattering wheels had ceased, loud moaning could be heard.

Instantly fully focused on the task at hand, Michaela was on the ground beside her son in a flash.

"What happened?" she asked, climbing up on Matthew's wagon so she could examine the young man lying there. His tibia was not simply broken; it was a compound fracture.

"Frank's horse bolted and threw him off," Matthew explained somewhat breathlessly. "You can fix him, right?"

Michaela knew this was more of a rhetorical question but still answered, "I'll do my best. Please go and get Colleen."

As usual, a small crowd had already gathered before the clinic, so there were more than enough pairs of helping hands. "I need him inside," Michaela stated to no one in particular, and within a few moments, her patient was lying on her examination table and everyone apart from David was out on the porch again.

"Impressive," he said. Michaela only cast him a quick glance before she bent down to her patient and explained to him, "I'm going to put a cloth soaked with chloroform over your nose now so you can sleep while I set the bone and put your leg in a cast."

Frank nodded as he took in a deep breath, his expression anxious.

"You might not be able to use plaster," David advised as he watched the scene.

Waiting for the young man to fall fully unconscious, she agreed absent-mindedly, "I know."

"You will also have to monitor the swelling very closely," he continued, his eyes on the injured leg.

Michaela straightened and frowned at him. "I know," she said again, somewhat indignantly now. "I'm not a young, unexperienced assistant anymore, David."

He immediately raised his hands as if in surrender. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean any harm."

Before she could accept his apology, the door flew open.

"Ma? You need me?" asked Colleen, out of breath.

"Yes," Michaela replied, turning back to her patient. "I want you to watch his breathing while I take care of his leg."

There were no further words needed, and Colleen moved to the head of the table, taking the cloth from Dr. Mike. She never even acknowledged David's presence.

"You might need an open…" David said. Michaela finished for him, "… cast." Impatiently, she added, "I know that."

She blushed when she realised that she had sounded rude and glanced at him, but he was just looking at her indulgently. She gave him a short smile in return, and as she gathered her instruments, she apologised, "I'm sorry, I won't be able to get home for dinner tonight."

He nodded. "I understand. I do need to talk to you though. Perhaps sometime in the morning?" he asked.

"Sometime in the morning," she agreed and bent to focus on her patient.

xxx

Michaela wished David had been more forthcoming about what he wanted to discuss with her. Her thoughts had been running wild since she had finished tending to Frank's leg and settled him in one of the recovery rooms upstairs. During the first few hours, she had sat next to his bed, but all she could do was watch him sleep. Thus, she had nothing to distract her from her thoughts.

What was it that David wished to talk about? Was it about their future, whether they had one together or not? After all, their engagement had never been called off. Or did he just want her to go to Boston with him when he faced his family? But maybe it wasn't about her at all. The other day he had told her of his plan to go to Yosemite. Or maybe he had another idea about the wilderness park he intended to establish somewhere in the Rocky Mountains? Maybe he now thought of creating it here in the region of Pike's Peak, or…

At some point in the small hours, she gave up on contemplating all the possibilities. She simply had to wait.

In the morning, it took Michaela a while before she was able to leave the clinic as two unannounced patients suddenly required her attention. It was around ten when she eventually made it to the café. David was sitting there, talking to Dorothy. When he saw her approaching, he rose from his chair and waited until she reached their small table for four.

"Good morning," he greeted her, pulling out the chair next to him. Simultaneously, Dorothy got up from her seat, nodded to Michaela and left. Puzzled, Michaela looked to David for an explanation, but he dismissed her mute question. "Nothing important," he assured her.

Once they were both seated, he immediately came to the point.

"I received a telegram from the Chronicle, where I sent my article about the dam the mining company wants to build. So, I must leave for Washington and I will be taking the evening coach."

"So soon?" Michaela was startled. She wasn't ready to let him go. Not yet, not after she had just learned he was still alive.

But it was as if he hadn't heard her question. For a moment, he looked away from her with unseeing eyes, and she sensed he was gathering the strength to ask her a very important question. She wasn't sure if she was ready to answer it but he posed it anyway.

He held her gaze as he said, "You have to tell me if you want me to come back." His tone became more persuasive as he went on, "Marriage is a life time partnership, Michaela. You and I were meant to be together. We both knew it from the start, and I can tell that our bond is still strong."

Although she had expected something like this, Michaela was still overwhelmed. She looked at her hands in her lap, considering how to reply. But then she remembered there were still a few questions she needed answering.

Lifting her head again, she gazed at him, posing the first one. "Why did you come here?"

Taken aback momentarily by the change of topic, David hesitated. He knew her well enough to know that she would only accept an honest answer, so he gave it. "As I've already told you, I met Mr. Sully in Denver. When I offered my help, he told me that a Dr. Quinn had diagnosed his wife with epilepsy. After some probing he gave me a few more details about the said physician, and I knew it had to be you. So I had to come and see for myself."

Michaela nodded. She understood that, but not why he had introduced himself as someone else. "But why didn't you tell me who you were right away? And later, you must have realised that I was growing suspicious, yet you still insisted you were Andrew Strauss. Why, David?"" she inquired quietly.

He swallowed hard and then admitted, "First, I didn't want to intrude. I only wanted to see if you were happy with your life. If I were sure you were content, I would have left."

Michaela didn't immediately respond to his explanation. With a faraway expression, she recalled their time together since he arrived in Colorado Springs. In the beginning, David had only been an observer of her daily life and roamed the woods around town on his own for the best parts of the day. But then he accompanied her more often, and lately he had begun giving her advice she neither needed nor wanted. When she thought back to their time in Boston, she remembered he had done it back then as well. Only then she had welcomed his advice, for she was still too inexperienced. But things were different now.

A sudden thought occurred to her. Focusing on him again, she asked, "Why did you eventually reveal your true identity?"

He looked at her without flinching. "Because I felt there was hope for us, that there still is. That we could carry on where we left off."

Michaela shook her head and reminded him, "But so much has happened in the interim."

David agreed but was sincere when he said, "But we are still the same people at heart."

Having never observed Michaela spending time with another man in town, David felt sure this argument would convince her that they still belonged together. However, it was these words that made her realise that their relationship belonged to the past. She wasn't the same woman anymore, and her heart had had to endure two serious blows, both from the men she had loved. David hadn't included her in his life-changing decision to join the army, and Sully had hurt her in a way she had never thought he was capable of.

David watched as Michaela's expression changed from insecurity to resolve. When the crease between her eyebrows deepened, he knew her answer before she gave it. Recognising this, Michaela said quietly, "I'm sorry, David."

The hurt in his eyes made her heart skip a beat, but she was certain. As Snow Bird had once said, she would rather live alone than with a man who wasn't the right one. She covered his hand that lay next to his coffee pot on the table and reiterated, "I'm sorry."

Brian chose exact this moment to race towards her, yelling in excitement, "Sully's back! Look, Ma!"

Michaela turned to where her son was pointing and saw Sully standing by the fence that surrounded the café. He didn't move, he just looked at her as he had when she came back from Boston, lifting his arms slightly as if he expected her to run in his embrace. This time, however, she remained frozen in place.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Michaela sat with her gaze fixed on Sully as she felt David pull his hand away from beneath hears. Instantly, she turned back to him. For a moment, she closed her eyes. Overwhelmed by a flood of emotions she was momentarily speechless. She had to say her final good bye to her first love but at the same time, the hurt she felt upon seeing Sully again consumed her.

As he saw a tear roll down her face, David took her hand. "Michaela," he began but she shook her head and swallowed the lump in her throat. "I will always love you, David," she assured him quietly. It was important to her that he understood why she was doing this– because he was important to her. "But you are my past. Too many things have changed. We've both changed. We are not the same people anymore. I am a mother now and the town's doctor - I've grown up."

David nodded slowly. He knew what she was telling him: she had become an independent woman and had no intention to reverse that.

"Please give your parents my love," she added, imploring him with her eyes to understand.

David looked at her, searching her face for any sign that she might have second thoughts. Finding none, he let out a long breath and lifted her hand to his lips to press a kiss to its knuckles. Then he rose from his chair. "Good bye, Michaela," he said, and the sadness in his expression almost tore her heart apart. Knowing there wasn't anything she could do to help him, she simply watched him leave and walk slowly back towards the saloon.

If she could have, she too would have left the café, as desperate as she was to hide herself away from the world in the clinic. However, she needed to face Sully first. In truth, she wasn't sure if she would even be able to handle two emotional rollercoasters coming so soon one after another. When she turned to where he still stood, she noted that he had turned away and was talking instead to Brian.

It took Sully several moments to register what Brian was telling him. For some days, he had known that something was amiss, but it had never occurred to him that Michaela's fiancé had risen from the dead. Who would have believed that a man whom everyone believed had been killed in the war seven years ago, could suddenly return as if nothing had happened? How could Michaela forgive something like that and yet be cross with him for helping someone in need? She was holding hands with this other man in public! Sully felt a sudden surge of anger blinding him as he watched David kissing Michaela's hand. Unable to bear this sight he turned to Brian again.

"Do you know about their plans?" he enquired, trying to keep his emotions in check for the boy's sake. Brian shrugged. "Ma wants us to try to get along with him," he replied sullenly. Then his face lit up. "But maybe you can tell Ma she don't need him anymore 'cause you're back now?" he said, his voice full of hope.

Sully laid his hand on the child's shoulder. "It's not my place to tell Dr. Mike what to do, but I'm gonna try and talk to her."

"Good," said Brian, momentarily satisfied and ignoring the anxiety that started to rise up and constrict his breathing as he remembered why his ma had broken it off with Sully. But now that Sully was back and David would be told to leave, he and his sibling could help Sully win her back.

They both looked towards the table where Michaela had been sitting but found it empty. "Ma has a patient at the clinic." Brian was sure that's where she was and pulled at Sully's hand, making sure he would follow him.

There was no reply when Sully knocked on the clinic door. Fearing his friend might vanish again, Brian quickly explained, "Her patient is upstairs."

Hesitating, Sully contemplated whether to enter the building or simply wait outside. His decision was made for him as he noticed Hank and Jake sauntering towards him, both with expectant smirks on their faces. "I'll wait inside," he informed Brian and seeing the boy getting ready to accompany him, he added, "I need to talk to your Ma on my own."

Sighing ominously, Brian suggested, "I guess I'll go to Mr. Bray's for a bit."

Ten minutes later, Sully heard someone descending the stairs in the hall. Assuming it was Michaela, he turned so that he stood with his back to the window, facing the door. Her eyes were downcast, focused on the stack of sheets she was clutching to her chest, and thus she did not immediately register his presence. Only after she had set the laundry down in a big basket and straightened again, did she realise she wasn't alone in the room.

As he stood with the light behind him, Michaela couldn't initially discern her visitor's features. Yet there was no doubt as to his identity and her pulse quickened. Keeping her expression neutral, she stayed where she was and clasped her hands in front of her so their light trembling wouldn't betray her inner turmoil.

When the silence stretched on unbroken, Sully eventually huffed, "You aren't letting this go, are you?" His tone was accusatory rather than resigned.

At this, her temper flared and Michaela scoffed, "So I can be made a fool of again?"

Sobering and almost incredulously, Sully wondered, "That's the way you see it?"

To Michaela, it was. She wanted to ask him if there had been any further "expressions of gratitude", as he had dubbed his kissing Catherine during their argument behind the barn. She wanted to know if he had held her hand and given her a shoulder to lean on. Michaela was pretty sure he had, yet a part of her didn't want it to be confirmed. She was certain she wouldn't be able to handle that blow. Thus she stood silently, gazing in his direction and only lifted her chin.

Sully was watching her keenly, and recognising that she wasn't ready to give in, he tried to reassure her. "Nothing ever happened between Catherine and me. I wouldn't let it!"

Michaela shook her head. Slowly, she approached him until she was close enough to touch his chest. "Something happened here," she said and stepped away from him again. He wasn't fast enough to catch her fingers in his and so he followed her, but she held her hand up to stop him from coming closer.

"I'd never have thought your turning towards another woman was possible. Not after the things we said to each other," she revealed as calmly as she could, and Sully saw his opening.

"I meant all those things. I still do!" he reassured her, but Michaela only heard that he wasn't even able to tell her that he still loved her. Perhaps it wouldn't have helped anyway; she no longer believed anything he said.

Slowly, she stepped farther away from him until the examination table was between them. It was as if she needed a shield against him.

Frustrated now, Sully run his hand through his hair. "Don't you hear what I'm saying?" he demanded.

Fighting the tears that pricked the back of her eyes she said so quietly that it was hard to hear her, "You hurt me, Sully. I don't know how I can trust you again."

"Trust me?" He stared at her in disbelief. "What about my trust in you? I come back after only a few weeks and I find you holding hands with… with…" He was shouting by now and stumbled over his words, but it was his anger at her that gave Michaela her equilibrium back.

"You have no right to judge me." In contrast to him, she spoke softly. "Not after your public display of affection for a woman you knew for only a week, not to mention that you were still courting me. As to my holding hands with someone, I'm sure Brian has told you, that that man was David."

Sully gaped at her, wondering what she was talking about. Public display? He fought back the memory of kissing Catherine in this very same place as the truth suddenly hit him hard; his relationship with Michaela might well be over, not purely because of her jealousy over another woman but because there was another vying for her heart.

Suddenly the tiredness that had steadily increased over the last few days became so overwhelming that he felt his knees growing weak. He felt nauseous and was in desperate need of fresh air. Without a backward glance, he left the clinic, leaving the door open.

Outside on the porch, he almost crashed into Brian. Barely hearing the boy's questions, he brushed past him, heading for the livery. He wanted his horse, and he yearned to see Cloud Dancing, to talk to him. His Cheyenne brother always knew what to do.

xxx

Several hours later, Michaela stationed herself at the clinic window again, waiting and then watching David leave the saloon with his bags. She had considered going out to bid him farewell by the stagecoach but had decided against it. She knew that the situation was painful enough for them both to bear, and she had no desire to display her tears in front of an all too eager audience. Apart from that she was positive that she would be asked about Sully, but she didn't have any answers. Not for herself, let alone for others.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Ma, can I come with you? Please?" Brian begged, looking up at Michaela who was putting her medical bag onto the seat of the wagon.

She sighed and bent down to her son, stroking his hair. "Sully might not even be there, Brian. He could be at one of his lean-tos."

Her tone was gentle as she tried to discourage him from accompanying her. It had been two days since Sully had arrived in Colorado Springs and disappeared again right away. He clearly hadn't even spared a thought for the children's feelings or he would have shown up, at least for their sake. She didn't want her son to be hurt more than he already was and she feared what would happen if he went with her and Sully wasn't at the reservation. Besides, even if Sully was staying at the Cheyenne village, there was no guarantee that he would be willing to talk to Brian. The consequences might be devastating for the child.

As if he had followed her train of thought, Brian reminded her, "But you said it yourself, that he is still my friend." He sounded almost desperate now. Straightening her back, Michaela searched for another argument to prevent him from coming with her but gave up when she spotted Colleen standing in the doorway to the clinic, watching them nervously. It seemed as if the siblings had agreed that their little brother would be their spokesman. They knew he had a knack for talking to people and getting his way. It was not her intention keep the children away from Sully thus she eventually moved her medical back to the bed of the wagon to make room for Brian. He glanced at his sister who gave him a thumbs up before he climbed up onto the seat next to his ma.

xxx

Sully was sitting in front of Cloud Dancing's tepee when he heard the sound of an approaching wagon. He rose quickly to his feet, swaying slightly and he reached out to grip his blood brother's forearm for support. Barely registering the surprised and concerned expression on the Cheyenne healer's face, he mumbled, "I don't wanna talk to her." With that, he vanished through the gap between the flaps and into the tent.

Exchanging a worried look with his wife, Cloud Dancing turned to welcome his guest. Spotting the small frame next to Dr. Mike, he said loudly enough for his white friend to hear, "The boy is with her."

"Tell him I'm asleep," was Sully's reply, and the medicine man shook his head in disapproval. He didn't admonish Sully though. It was not his place to interfere.

Once the wagon had pulled to a stop before him, he gave Michaela a short nod before he spoke to Brian. "We have a new foal. Would you like to see it?"

Brian was a bright child and he knew what this offer meant: Sully didn't want to talk to him. He glanced at his ma who tried to hide her hurt and only said, "I'll come and get you when I'm done."

"All right," Brian admitted defeat. "See you."

Michaela watched her son leave with the medicine man and then turned towards Snow Bird. "How is he?" she inquired quietly.

"Tired and moody," her friend replied, and Michaela left it at that. She hadn't come for Sully anyway; she was merely here to vaccinate the last group of children who had been too sick for her to administer the vaccine the last time she had visited.

xxx

It was already dark, and the family had just finished their dinner when they heard a bird call. It was Cloud Dancing's sign, and instinctively knowing that this was about Sully, Michaela grabbed her medical bag from the foot of her bed and her coat from the peg next to the door. She only had to speak Matthew's name as she looked at him for him to agree, "I'll stay here with the kids until you get back."

"Thank you," she said. Further words weren't necessary between them, but seeing the anxious faces of Colleen and Brian, she added, "Don't worry. This might not even be about Sully. Someone could have been shot or fallen ill and Cloud Dancing simply needs my help."

The two younger children nodded reluctantly, and noting Dr. Mike's pleading look at him, Matthew suggested to his brother, "What about a game of checkers?"

Pulling herself together, Colleen announced, "And I'm gonna take care of the dishes, Dr. Mike. We'll be fine."

xxx

It was too dim in Cloud Dancing's tepee for Michaela to be able to give an opinion on Sully's state simply by looking at him. She knew though that his condition must have been very bad or the medicine man wouldn't have fetched her. They hadn't talked on their ride to the Cheyenne village, each focusing on navigating their horses swiftly through the darkness.

"He's barely eaten since he arrived two days ago," offered the Cheyenne, as Michaela glanced at him. "He has had stomach cramps and is very tired all the time yet sleeps only a few hours every night. It reminded me of how he was when I first found him two years ago, grieving and lost. This I could have helped to heal. Yet when he lost consciousness, I thought it was time to ask for your assistance."

Cloud Dancing looked at her pointedly. Michaela knew he was referring to her role in his friend's condition, but she refused to feel guilty.

"I can hear you," Sully mumbled from his place on a pile of furs. "And I don't want her pity," he added sulkily.

"I'm a doctor," Michaela retorted icily. "I'm not here out of pity."

Stepping closer, she announced, "I need to ask you a few questions and I will need to examine you."

"I said I don't…" Sully objected, his voice rising a notch, yet Michaela didn't hear him out.

"Don't be stubborn, Sully," she reprimanded him. Her tone, however, was gentle because she recognised that her patient wasn't his usual self. "Or do you want me to tell Brian that his friend is sick but is refusing to see a doctor?"

Scowling, Sully huffed quietly, but slowly sat up. "Now," Michaela said, "tell me, what's going on, when did the symptoms start?"

"Cloud Dancing already told you," he responded gruffly, unwilling to say even one word more than necessary. "And I think it began during the last days on the train to St. Louis."

Frowning, Michaela contemplated the possibilities. She could scratch out food poisoning; the cramps had lasted too long for that. She stepped closer, preparing to examine him. Sully, however, slid away from her.

Crossing her arms across her chest, Michaela looked at Cloud Dancing. When he didn't offer any support in her attempt to reason with Sully, she lost her temper. Sully was behaving like a difficult child and his friend clearly didn't want to take sides. Acknowledging that Sully was sick and thus unable to think clearly, she turned to the medicine man.

"You asked me to come, so I did. I left the children behind, and you know how difficult that is for me after everything that has happened lately. Either your patient cooperates or I will leave immediately."

The Cheyenne looked at his blood brother. When he'd asked him before if he would agree to see Dr. Mike, he had nodded, clutching his stomach as he was plagued by another cramp. As a medicine man, Cloud Dancing always respected the will of those he treated, but he knew the doctor was right. "The pain will return and probably become worse," he told Sully, raising his eyebrows, suggesting he reconsider his refusal.

"Fine," Sully gave in. He wasn't sure he would be able to handle Michaela's touch, but he also recognised that the situation was getting embarrassing. Her anger didn't bother him for he was angry himself, but he wanted to know what she'd meant with her remark about the things that had taken place lately. "What happened?" he asked, his voice raspy.

Placing the stethoscope to the left of his chest and listening intently to his heartbeat, she shook her head. "Sh," she said.

She didn't hear anything out of the ordinary; Sully's pulse was just a little too fast for her liking. Five minutes later she finished her examination, yet she still had no clue as to what was wrong. There had to be something that poisoned him from the inside and wasn't detectable externally.

Watching Dr. Mike keenly, Cloud Dancing frowned. He knew that she hadn't found anything. If he had thought she would give up now, he was wrong. Michaela's mind was racing. "Is there anything that you've been eating or drinking daily since you were on the train?" she asked, but Sully shook his head.

"Could you please sit again?" she requested. She had found the lymph nodes under his jaw to be slightly enlarged and wanted to re-examine them. As she brushed the nape of his neck with her fingers, Sully took in a sharp breath.

Instantly, Michaela brushed his hair aside to take a better look. Doing so she wondered, "Have you been anywhere lately where a tick could have bitten you?"

"No," he retorted, thinking her question odd and hissed through clenched teeth when her fingers ran over a very sore spot again.

"I need more light," Michaela told Cloud Dancing, but the only thing he could offer was a torch that he lit in the campfire outside. When he came back with it, Michaela gestured for him to hold it whilst she examined Sully's neck more closely. Detecting two angry welts, she probed them carefully. Feeling Sully wince under her touch, she knew that she had found the reason for his feeling so ill. But before she told him her suspicion, she needed one more answer. "Do your hands or feet or both tingle sometimes? Do you feel an inexplicable weakness now and then?" she asked.

"Yeah," he allowed, and Michaela straightened again. She knew what was wrong.

"When were you shot?" she asked quietly, trying to keep the horror from her tone as she considered the possibility that Sully might well have died if the shooter had been a fraction closer.

"You have a buckshot under your skin," she informed him. To Cloud Dancing she said, "Lead poisoning."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Sully scoffed in disbelief, "That's impossible. No one's shot at me."

Michaela, however, was sure. Instead of arguing with Sully, she contemplated the options she had for removing the buckshot. Fortunately, there were only two lead bullets enclosed under his skin but they still had to be removed as quickly as possible. It would be best to operate at the clinic, but getting Sully there would be a problem. Not simply because of his refusal to cooperate, but Michaela wasn't sure he would be able to ride to town with her. Of course she could go back home and return with the wagon at first light, yet leaving her patient wasn't an option either.

"When you worked on Black Kettle it was also quite dark in the room."

Cloud Dancing's calmly spoken words startled Michaela out of her thoughts. Sometimes it made her uncomfortable how easily he could read her. She nodded, "You are right," she replied, "But back then I didn't have to consider infection."

However, her decision was made and she turned to Sully. "I need to know how long the lead has been under your skin." When he got ready to protest again, she continued, "The location of your injury suggests that you have been hit by a stray buckshot. Do you remember ever being in the range of a gun that may have gone off, even accidentally?"

Sully opened his mouth but closed it again as he suddenly remembered the scene at the small market in Baltimore. He had already forgotten about it. "Catherine's folks thought I was one of the Indians that had kidnapped her. Her grandpa shot at me the moment she fainted and I bent down to keep her head from hitting the pavement too hard," he revealed. "That was close to two weeks ago."

"I see," Michaela said, appearing absent-minded but already planning ahead. After a short pause she announced, "I will operate right away." Turning to Sully, she gave him the choice, "I can administer chloroform so you don't feel the pain or…"

"I'm not afraid of pain," he interrupted her, and they both remembered that night at the cabin when she had taken out the bullet that had hit Black Kettle during the massacre at Sand Creek. The chief had used the very same words when she offered to anesthetize him.

"Very well," Michaela accepted Sully's decision without questioning it and asked Cloud Dancing, "Do you have a wooden chair or something similar he can sit on? I will have better access to his neck if he's sitting up rather than lying on his stomach."

Hearing Dr. Mike's request, Snow Bird left the tepee. Whilst she waited, Michaela laid out the instruments she needed on the white cotton cloth that she always carried in her medical bag. As Sully's hair would be in the way, she asked the medicine man for a piece of rawhide to tie it up and out of the way. Eventually Snow Bird returned, carrying a chair. In a few more moments, Sully was seated on it backwards, his forearms resting on the back of the chair.

As Michaela splashed her hands, the scalpel and Sully's neck with carbolic acid, she said to Sully, "Tell me about Baltimore." He was confused by this request, but the medicine man recognized it as a way to distract his brother from the pain that was to be expected. That was why he encouraged him, too. "Is it a big town?" he wondered, and Sully eventually began to describe his short stay in the East.

Michaela didn't show any sign of being affected by his tale. Her hand was steady and her gaze stayed focused. Snow Bird, who was watching her friend intently, could tell though that her strained expression wasn't simply due to her concentrating on her work. Every time Sully mentioned the name Catherine, the doctor pressed her lips together more tightly, and the Cheyenne woman realised that Sully might have left something out when he had arrived two days ago, obviously heartbroken, and told them about Dr. Mike's rejection.

"Done," Michaela eventually said, satisfied that the procedure had gone well. Yet as she reached for some gauze and bandages, Cloud Dancing stopped her hand.

"Thank you. I can take over now," he said politely but with authority. Michaela frowned, but since Sully didn't object, she nodded. She hid her hurt at being dismissed well.

"Keeping the wound clean won't be enough. His blood has to be purified. If I remember rightly, the tea made from yellow dock that can help with that."

Whilst issuing this advice, Michaela collected her things and pulled on her cloak. After smiling at Snow Bird, who looked at her apologetically, Michaela gazed at the medicine man who shifted uncomfortably as he registered the doctor's carefully neutral expression. He didn't change his mind though; his brother had made it clear to him that he didn't want to see Dr. Mike for longer than was necessary.

To everyone's surprise Sully suddenly spoke. It was killing him not to know what Michaela was afraid of, but he was admittedly even more curious why the children were alone and not with her fiancé. Since he couldn't ask about the latter, he asked about the former. "What was it that happened lately?" he wondered.

Michaela, still smarting at the humiliating dismissal, however, had no intention of remaining at the reservation any longer.

"The Ku Klux Klan ransacked Grace's Café after she and Robert E. bought a house in the middle of town," she informed him curtly. "They also burnt down the barn at the homestead, but we've rebuilt it. Thanks to David, the Klansmen are gone now and can't do any more damage. Good night."

With that she pivoted and left the tepee.

Sully gaped at Michaela's retreating form and started to rise from the chair. His blood brother, however, put his hand firmly on his shoulder to hold him back. "You need to rest, my friend," he instructed, his tone stern yet his gaze showing compassion.

"Did you know about this?" Sully asked him.

"Yes, but not the details," Cloud Dancing admitted.

"Still, you should have told me," Sully said, starting to rake his fingers through his hair, forgetting that it was bunched up on his head. Instead, he began to fidget restlessly. He needed to do something, but didn't know what and again, the medicine man's hand stopped him.

"You need to rest," the Cheyenne reiterated and Sully at last complied as he crossed to the pile of furs that he had been sleeping on for the last few days.

Snow Bird, who had silently observed this scene, didn't make a secret of her disapproval about the men's behaviour towards Dr. Mike. Scowling at both of them, she asked her husband, "Do you think it is safe for medicine woman to be out there on her own?"

"The dog soldiers are not here tonight," he informed her, thinking that would be enough to pacify his obviously angry wife. This reply, however, had the opposite effect. "You were very rude to Medicine Woman," she said. "And now you send her out alone in the middle of the night. Men!" she exclaimed, gesturing agitatedly.

"I only did what is best for Sully. He suffers because he has lost her."

Cloud Dancing frowned at his wife, not understanding why she didn't support him. She had been there when he had first found Sully almost two years ago, half dead and grief-stricken over the death of Abigail and Hannah. She knew he was suffering the same way again now.

"He lost her," Snow Bird muttered under her breath and scoffed quietly as she left the tepee for some much-needed fresh air. She could tell that there was more to the story, but she also knew the men wouldn't talk to her about it.

Xxx

Cloud Dancing wasn't able to hold Sully back for longer than two days. The cramps had considerably lessened, the wound was healing and his energy was almost fully restored. Sully simply couldn't forget what Michaela had told him. He needed to meet with Robert E. and find out if he could help with the repairs at the Café, but even more so he had to see with his own eyes that Michaela and the children were really safe; even if they weren't his responsibility anymore.

When he arrived at the homestead shortly before dusk, the sight of the beautiful but simple new barn stopped him in his tracks and he eyed it with appreciation. The timber, still smelling of pines, was neatly put together, the door solidly built. The new structure was smaller than the old one, but still had enough room for the animals and the hay.

While he was still admiring the new barn, the door to the house opened and Michaela appeared, holding a cup in one hand. Her blue shawl was covering her shoulders and she held it together over her chest with the other hand. Taking a step back, moulding into the increasing shadows, Sully couldn't help but stare at her as she settled on the top step of the porch. He had sat with her in the very same spot for many an evening, discussing the day or simply enjoying each other's company.

Sully's heart constricted in pain as he imagined David taking this place from now on. He wouldn't be able to bear seeing the couple together day after day. He had already decided he would have to leave town. He couldn't, however, go without saying good bye to the family that for some time now, he had considered to be his. He knew it was better to get this over with quickly and here was a perfect chance to talk to Michaela alone. Thus he cleared his throat and stepped forward.

"Hello, Dr. Mike," he said quietly.

"Sully!" Michaela started at his materialization and clutched the teacup closer to her chest. "What are you doing here?"

Assuming from this reaction that his sudden appearance was not welcome, bitterness engulfed him once more. Of course she didn't want to be disturbed, not by him anyway. He wasn't David, the fiancé.

Forgetting his intention of saying good bye and then leaving, Sully heard himself blurt out, "Tell him I'll pay for the barn myself. He'll get back every penny he's spent on it."

Astonished, Michaela considered him. Maybe the damage from the lead poisoning had been more severe than she had thought and he was now hallucinating. Cautiously she responded, "Robert E. didn't pay for the barn, Sully. I wouldn't have allowed that."

Now it was Sully's turn to be confused. What did Robert E. have to do with his barn? "I'm talking about David," he clarified, almost choking over the name of the man he'd never met.

Michaela sighed, looking down into the depths of the cup in her hands. Finally, she understood. Sully didn't want to see her because he thought she had dismissed him for David. Well, she could set him straight about that. "David has left, Sully. He won't be coming back."

It took Sully a moment to understand what she was saying. Then relief so intense that it was almost palpable to Michaela, flooded his features.

"That doesn't change anything between us," Michaela continued quickly, not wanting him to get the wrong idea.

"I know," Sully responded, sobering, "I'm sorry."

"I am, too," she replied softly, lowering her eyes to her tea because looking at Sully still hurt too much.

However, he felt as if the world had opened up to him again. David was gone, and that meant there was hope. Hope was all he needed. He would win her back. He would find a way.

"I'll always be here," he assured her before he turned quietly and left.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Sully was stricken with guilt as he heard first hand from Robert E. the full extent of what had taken place with the Ku Klux Klan. He hadn't been there for his friend and Grace and he had let Dr. Mike and the children down. Michaela had been forced to use a gun, and he could only imagine what that had meant to her. If he'd known what was going to happen, he would never have left for so long. But it was too late to dwell on this now; all he could do was vow to stay close by from now on. He knew Michaela might object, but he was determined to make amends for his absence. Thus early the next morning, he set out again for the homestead.

Upon his arrival, he did what he had been accustomed to doing before he left for Baltimore: after a brief knock he opened the door and let himself into the house. Startled faces met his gaze and he grew a little uncomfortable as he greeted the family quietly, "Morning."

Brian was the first to recover. "Sully! Look, Ma, he's back!" he yelled and jumped up from his chair. "Can we go fishing?" he asked as he hugged his hero around the waist.

Without waiting for Sully's reply the boy looked back pleadingly at Michaela. "Can I, Ma?"

"May I." Michaela corrected him automatically before she said, "You may, if Sully has the time."

Turning his imploring face back to his friend, Brian waited for his answer.

"Sure," Sully agreed. "But I'd like to look around here first, see if anything needs fixing."

"Would you like some coffee?" Michaela offered, her tone polite rather than cordial, but Sully was undeterred.

"I'd like that", he said and sat down next to Colleen as Michaela rose from her chair to fetch the pot.

Matthew, however, continued to stare at Sully.

"The house is fine," he said eventually, his voice firm. "Robert E. and his friends and I took care of that."

"Thank you. I appreciate that," Sully replied sincerely. "I'd still like to take a look though, if that's alright with you."

As Matthew opened his mouth to respond to Sully's last words, Michaela, keen to avoid the imminent confrontation between the two, placed a gentle hand on her oldest son's shoulders and reminded him gently, "This is Sully's property, Matthew."

Matthew paused, about to protest but after a moment, let out a long breath. On the one hand it had felt good to be the man of the house, yet on the other hand he knew that he would soon be starting his life with Ingrid. He knew that the responsibility for looking after Dr Mike and his siblings would fall to Sully then, and thus he decided to relinquish their responsibility back to him now.

"Bye everyone," he stated abruptly as he rose from his seat, donned his hat and left.

While Brian was gobbling down his breakfast, Colleen pushed her food around on the plate. She could feel Sully's gaze on her but didn't meet his eyes. Michaela noticed her quietness as well and tried to distract her daughter.

"Do you already have plans for today, Colleen?" she asked as she sat down across from her. The girl glanced up and shook her head. "Not really," she said quietly.

Sully quickly chimed in, "You could come along with me and Brian. I know you like to go fishing, too. Would be fun having you around."

"Really?" Collen asked, turning to him. "You mean it?"

"Of course," he assured. "We have a lot of catching up to do."

The girl's face lit up. "Alright," she said and shot her little brother a look, daring him to contradict. But Brian was still beaming. Sully was back, and the boy refused to consider that he might leave again.

xxx

It took only a few short days for Sully to rebuild his relationship with the Coopers. The same, however, couldn't be said about his relationship with Michaela. Growing frustrated at her continued rejection of his attentions, he complained grumpily to Cloud Dancing as they sat by the fire in front of the medicine man's tepee one evening.

"She talks to me and smiles, but it's always as if we were strangers and she's tryin' to be polite. When I touch her, even accidentally, she flinches, like she's been burnt," Sully said, growing increasingly agitated.

When his friend didn't respond, he continued, "I told her that nothing happened between me and Catherine, that I wouldn't let it. I only took that room in Denver together with her because I couldn't afford to take two. She says she understands, but still keeps me at arm's length." He fell silent.

In his heart, Sully knew that this wasn't simply about Michaela's unwillingness to acknowledge his apologies. She shied away from him because she was afraid he would hurt her again.

Poking the fire with a thin branch he asked resignedly, "What do I do?"

Cloud Dancing, who now knew the truth of the situation, replied wisely, "Be patient, my friend. When trust was broken, it needs time to heal."

Sully huffed quietly. He knew that, but it was hard to accept. He wanted Michaela back right now. He needed her because he just didn't feel whole without her. But most importantly, he wanted her to be happy again. Waiting wasn't his strong suit.

Xxx

As Michaela was staying over at the clinic, Sully opted to spend the night at the Indian village. He knew he would only be in her way in town and she was due to visit the reservation late in the afternoon anyway.

Michaela didn't mind Sully's absence. His constant hovering around her made her nervous. She had felt a little reassured by his attempts to show her that he was there for her and the children. However, having some space felt good, too, and as she readied the wagon for her trip to the reservation, she found herself actually looking forward to seeing him again.

"I'll be back before dark," she assured Colleen as she climbed into the wagon, "Please wait with Brian here until I return."

Colleen nodded. The family had agreed that, as far as possible, the children shouldn't stay at the homestead alone without Matthew or Dr Mike.

"See you, Ma," offered Colleen cheerily and hurried along the porch to meet her friend Becky whilst Brian was occupied with Robert E.'s horses at livery.

Michaela was already halfway to the reservation when the wind picked up considerably and the temperature dropped. She was glad now that she had brought her blue shawl. Letting go of the reins momentarily, she took it from the seat next to her and draped it over her shoulders. The strange feeling of coldness didn't leave her though, and after a few minutes she realized that her subconscious had registered the approaching danger long before she had.

She could now just discern the war cries amidst the howling wind, and as she turned, she saw a band of dog soldiers cresting the hill behind her. She knew these Indians wouldn't see her as a friend and she knew she needed to move fast.

Shouting at Bear and flicking the reins urgently, she forced the animal to go faster, but she knew she didn't stand a chance with the wagon. The cries grew louder and shots could be heard now. Focusing on getting as close to the edge of the wood as possible, Michaela didn't look back again but leaned forward on her seat as if that would increase her speed. She had almost reached the first trees when an arrow whizzed past her ear. In panic, she jumped down from the speeding wagon. Dismissing the sharp pain that shot through her ankle, she ran as fast as she could to the edge of the forest. A second arrow hit the trunk beside her, and Michaela stopped thinking. Instinctively, she darted between trees and bushes, her only goal to lose the war party in the woods. Pushing her way through underbrushes she was barely looking where she went, and it was only a matter of time when her foot caught on one of the large roots protruding from the ground. For a moment she continued to try and pull forward but her leg gave a sickening crack and crippled with pain, she fell.

Michaela didn't have to examine her ankle to know it was broken. With growing horror, she listened for the sounds of her hunters, but as her breathing grew quieter she realized that she had outrun them. She couldn't hear anything but the heavy wind yanking at the treetops.

Relief flooded her, but only for a moment. She had no idea where she was and now it would be impossible for her to walk even a short distance. She was facing a different sort of danger now: if she had to spend the night outside, the hypothermia alone could kill her. Unable to move, she wouldn't be able to keep herself warm; she was entirely helpless. Shivering slightly, she looked up as the rain started to fall around her.

xxx

Sully was looking up at the sky. Judging by the position of the sun, Michaela ought to be arriving any moment now. Snow Bird had told him that Dr. Mike would be bringing new blankets for the children, so he listened carefully for the sound of an approaching wagon. However, just then the thundering of hooves broke the silence and a group of renegades burst onto the reservation. Sully jumped up in alarm as he recognised one of the dog soldiers riding atop Michaela's wagon and steering it towards the tents. She was nowhere to be seen. Sully made to approach the party yet Cloud Dancing held him back. Sully's fear and fury were almost palpable yet the medicine man knew that the dog soldiers would rather kill his friend than answer his questions.

Desperate to learn what had happened to Michaela and yet fearing the worst, Sully paced restlessly in front of the medicine man's tepee. Wolf was watching him, sensing his master's anxiety. When Cloud Dancing returned, he reported to his white brother the little the dog soldiers had given him. "They shot arrows at her as she fled into the woods and do not know if she still lives. They did not say where they took the wagon from her."

Sully punched the air in frustration at this scanty information. His heart was pounding so fast in his chest that it was difficult to breathe.

"I will find her," he promised his friend angrily, "I will find her."

With Wolf at his heels, he raced out of the Indian village.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

A downpour that started shortly after Michaela had escaped the dog soldiers was mercifully short lived. The dense green foliage of the ancient trees blocked much of the water from reaching the forest floor. Unfortunately for Michaela, she had fallen in a relatively unprotected area and the rain hit her with full force. Rolling over onto her belly, she supported herself on her forearms and pushing with her healthy leg, struggled to make it to the shelter of a large oak. She had to stop often; the pain from her leg and the multitude of fallen branches and bigger stones in her path hampered her progress. When she finally reached the thick trunk, she lay her head on her folded arms, trying to catch her breath.

Fear began to overtake her as she contemplated her situation. Yet she couldn't afford to start panicking: she had to take care of her foot first. Shifting into a sitting position, she leant back against the oak and eyed her left leg. The shoe would have to come off immediately. The swelling was already increasing and it would become impossible to free her foot later if she didn't act now.

Michaela couldn't tell how long it took her to get rid of the shoe. Pretty soon, she was bathed in cold sweat and had bitten so hard on her lower lip that she could taste blood.

It was a small relief to find that the bone fragment hadn't broken through the skin, yet the pain drew a continuous stream of tears that blinded her. Swiping at her face, she scrabbled around for a few sticks that could be used to stabilise her ankle. Next, she tore a strip of fabric from her petticoat so she could fasten the splint. As her blue shawl was soaked and would do little to keep her warm, she folded it under her leg to elevate her ankle.

With nothing else to do, Michaela looked around again, trying to get her bearings. Her surroundings, however, didn't give away how far she had run into the wood, and a new wave of panic engulfed her. She was positive that the town would organise a search party, but what if she didn't hear them calling her name nor they her cries for help? Although, this would only matter if she survived the night at all. The townspeople wouldn't look for her before morning, before the children realised she was actually missing.

There was only one small spark of hope: Sully wouldn't care what time of the day it was; he would search for her with Wolf the moment he found out something had happened to her. But how could he know? Snow Bird would simply assume that something had kept her from bringing the blankets to the reservation, and the children would think she was still at the Indian village. Sighing deeply, Michaela sat up a little straighter and steeled herself for the task of getting through the night. She had to try and keep herself as warm as possible without falling asleep. If she fell asleep, she would get so cold that she might actually die from hypothermia.

Xxx

Three routes led from town to the Indian village, and Sully had to guess which one Michaela had taken. He was fairly sure she had avoided the small path directly through the woods for it was a tad too narrow for the wagon, so he was left with only two choices. Since he had no idea whether the renegades had come to the reservation straight away after they attacked Michaela or if they had been somewhere else in the meantime, he couldn't take his clue from the direction they had come from when they arrived between the teepees.

Eventually, he opted to search the northern route first. Giving Wolf the command to look for Dr. Mike, he followed his faithful comrade as he took off. Whilst running, Sully looked out for any ruts the wagon might have left on the softened ground. Perhaps Michaela had even unwittingly left a trail that he could follow. After a few minutes, Sully realized that this had to be the wrong way; the trees were too far from the dirt road and Michaela would have been too easy a target for the dog soldiers. They would have killed her for sure and known it.

Cursing under his breath at the precious time he had lost, he whistled for Wolf to return to him before he raced back towards the reservation. He stayed hidden though when he arrived; he couldn't afford to be seen by anyone, not even Cloud Dancing. He would not lose another minute, if he could help it.

Sensing his master's growing anxiety, Wolf whined when he reached him. He only stopped when Sully gestured for him to be quiet and follow. Sniffing the ground he stayed close to Sully, until he was sent to look for Dr. Mike again. As Wolf sprinted ahead, Sully had to stop momentarily. Out of the blue, the possibility of losing Michaela for good hit him so hard, that he fell to his knees. Although he was used to running long distances, he suddenly felt as if his legs wouldn't be able to carry him one more step. Defeated, he rested back on his heels. Pictures of Michaela flashed before his eyes: how she had fallen flat into the mud beside the reverend on her very first day in town, how she had smiled at him when he had given her his birthday present, how angry she had been at him when he had given up on the townsfolk last Thanksgiving… It was, however, the look of hurt he had put into her eyes that was always on the forefront of his mind, haunting him. He couldn't allow this to be the last thing he had done to her, and he finally found his strength again. "Michaela," he whispered to himself. "I will find you. I swear, I will find you."

With that, he straightened to his feet and chased after Wolf who had disappeared out of his sight. Like before, Sully searched the ground for any hints that a wagon had come along and probably left the path.

He was halfway to town when he first heard and then saw Wolf. He could barely make him out in the now dim light of dusk as the animal sat near the trees on his hind legs, holding his nose high in the air and whining loudly. Sully's heart, already hammering from the exertion of running, began to beat impossibly faster with both relief and fear. The former because he had found the place he had been searching for and the latter because of Wolf's reaction. Why was he sitting still and not continuing to search?

Refusing to believe the worst had happened, Sully hurried to Wolf. Still studying the ground, he didn't see any tracks that a wagon could have left which could mean two things: either this was the wrong spot or Michaela had been attacked before the heavy rain had soaked the soil.

Stopping to think, Sully allowed his instincts to take over as he stood next to the now quiet animal.

With closed eyes, his arms held at his sides, palms outstretched, Sully listened and silently called for Michaela in his mind. A moment later, Wolf suddenly dashed between the trees. He must have heard something. Without another thought, Sully followed him.

Xxx

Michaela had tried to keep herself warm in any way she could think of in her upright position. Initially, she had tried to keep her arms and legs moving but when that became too exhausting, she had taken to rubbing her arms and thighs with her hands. It didn't make much of a difference; her wet clothes sucked the very warmth out of her body. Pulling them off wouldn't be much better though, thus she moved to lay on her right side and pulled her knees to her chest. She felt momentarily better, but the feeling didn't last long. She began to shiver violently and her thoughts slipped from her control.

She didn't know how long she had lain this way when she suddenly felt something even colder and wetter at her cheek. It was too difficult to move now and with her eyes shut, she simply welcomed the warm air that was blowing over her cheek next. After a few moments, she forced herself to pry her eyelids open. She was too dazed to register Wolf looking enquiringly at her, and she felt neither joy nor fear.

Although his eyes had adjusted to the dark, Sully was barely able to make out the form on the ground. A slight movement from the huddled outline made him rush toward it.

"Michaela!" he exclaimed and crouched down. "Are you hurt?"

"Broken… ankle…" she whispered hoarsely as tears of relief filled her eyes. Sully had found her at last. She was safe.

Sully's thoughts, however, went in the opposite direction. The night was pitch black because the moon, a mere sliver these days anyway, was hidden behind clouds. It had been difficult enough for him to feel his way to where Michaela way lying by using his outstretched arms, so how could he possibly carry her the almost one hundred yards back to the dirt road?

Crouching down, Sully carefully touched Michaela. It was her hand he had found, and he was shocked at how ice-cold it was. She was soaked to the skin.

"Can you get your blouse off?" he asked gently, not wanting to startle her with such bold a request. Michaela was too dazed to take offence and did as he asked.

The moment she was done, she was engulfed by dry, warm leather. Sully had given her his jacket. Sensing she would protest, he assured her, "I'll be warm enough. I'm gonna carry you."

Sully didn't tell Michaela that her low body temperature frightened him beyond measure. Since he couldn't build a fire amongst the trees to warm her up, he needed to get her out of the woods, no matter the dire circumstances. He didn't care that he wouldn't be able to take more than one step at a time. He would simply do it.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

As usual when the dog soldiers suddenly appeared at their village, Snow Bird had retreated to the sun lodge. The arrival of the men was often accompanied by a lot of shouting and firing guns, especially when they had just succeeded in raiding a ranch. The medicine man's wife was torn when it came to the renegades. On the one hand they brought food, but on the other hand she disliked their violent streak. In her opinion, the Cheyenne were no better than the white man when they included women and children into their fights.

Fortunately, the ruckus didn't last long this time. Snow Bird was still talking to her sisters when Cloud Dancing's voice startled her from behind. "The blankets," he said quietly. Turning around, Snow Bird looked first at her husband's outstretched arms that held Dr. Mike's present for the children of the reservation and then searched his eyes. When he didn't elaborate but looked steadily at her, the Cheyenne woman paled.

"They killed her?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

"I do not know," Cloud Dancing replied, his gaze never wavering.

"What do you mean? How did they get the blankets?" Snow Bird's voice rose a notch. She knew that Dr. Mike would have delivered the blankets herself if she could. Upon hearing the few facts her husband had learned from the dog soldiers, she straightened resolutely. "You have to go and help Sully find her," she said emphatically.

Cloud Dancing shook his head. "I can not do that. Not as long as the Hotamétaneo'o* are here."

Averting her eyes from him, Snow Bird muttered angrily under her breath. She didn't like the fact that the men of their tribe, were submitting more and more to the dog soldiers, and her husband was no exception,. She squared her shoulders and announced firmly, "I will speak to the Chief. Medicine Woman saved his life."

As she started to move forwards, Cloud Dancing reached for her arm.

"Wait," he said and dropped the blankets beside a post before he turned to his wife again. He didn't want to tell her that Black Kettle's position as leader of the tribe was growing weaker by the day. More and more men, especially the young ones, wanted to fight rather than wait for the white man's government to fulfil their side of the treaties they had signed. The medicine man knew that the Chief might lose if there was a confrontation with the renegades, and their tribe couldn't afford to see their leader weak. Thus he promised, "I will see what I can do."

He had spotted a warrior amongst the dog soldiers who used to live in their village. Dr. Mike had saved the life of his wife and baby. He owed medicine woman.

xxx

Sully had expected that carrying Michaela in his arms would be difficult or at least strenuous. It was harder. She weighted very little, actually so little that he was worried, but she was barely conscious and her body limp. Thus, she wasn't able to control her body's movements most of the time, and if he wasn't careful enough, her injured foot would bump into a branch or something else he hadn't been aware of and little cries of pain were drawn from her lips. Each one was like a stab to his heart and his desperation grew. Eventually he paused and shifted her body so it was draped over his shoulder. This didn't help much but at least he had one arm free for feeling his way through the dense wood.

At one point, he thought he heard the clatter of a wagon driving by and later even some whinnying, but he dismissed these sounds and pressed on. He couldn't tell if it was ten minutes or two hours later when he finally stepped out of the wood. He couldn't help it, he needed a break. Carefully, he put Michaela on the ground before collapsing onto the grass beside her, utterly exhausted.

As soon as he was finally able to catch his breath, he moved into a sitting position. He contemplated whether to carry on and get Michaela back to the homestead or stay where they were, build a fire and warm her up as quickly as possible. There was no question that it would be more comfortable for her to be in her own bed, but he feared he might do further damage to her foot.

Trying to decide, Sully looked around. It was still dark but he was just able to discern the outline of the landscape and where the dirt road led towards the homestead. It was then that he spotted it: a wagon, abandoned on the trail. Gesturing for Wolf, who lay right next to Michaela to keep her warm, to stay put, Sully straightened up and ran to the wagon. It was Michaela's. The horse had gone though, so it wasn't of much use.

As he searched the wagon bed, he found it empty too. Yet, he now had another option: he could run to the homestead and fetch Matthew and his horse together with enough blankets and come back here to take Michaela home. He didn't like the thought of leaving Michaela on her own, especially when the dog soldiers were still patrolling the area. His guess, however, was that Cloud Dancing had persuaded them to give the wagon back. The renegades wouldn't have any use for it anyway; it would only hinder their attacks.

As he hurried back to Michaela, he saw with relief that her eyes were open.

Crouching down beside her, he asked quietly, "Can you hear me?"

"Yes," she answered, her voice weak, her eyelids already drooping closed again. That was when Sully made up his mind. Laying his hand on her cheek, he coaxed her gently, "Open your eyes, Michaela. I need you to listen to me."

"…listening…" she croaked, and he quickly explained his plan.

Michaela was still shivering. She was now so cold and tired that all she wanted to do was sleep. Safe in the knowledge that Sully was beside her, she allowed herself to drift off, and when he asked her another question, she simply nodded slightly. She barely registered what he was saying and even whispering a response was too much of an effort. Slowly, she raised her arm and laid it over Wolf, who was snuggled close against her side. She welcomed the animal's weight and warmth and was asleep again before she knew it. Only her subconscious noted that she was picked up for a very short time and then nestled into a bed of dry leaves before Wolf settled beside her again.

xxx

Michaela woke up to Colleen's gentle urging, "You need to drink this tea, Dr. Mike. We need to get you warm."

Confused, Michaela pried her eyelids open. She was lying in her bed, clad in her nightgown and covered by at least three blankets that were heavy but, strangely enough, didn't seem to be warming her up at all. Four anxious faces came into her line of vision and she saw the steaming cup being held out to her. Instinctively she knew that this was wrong. "Not hot," she whispered and needed a brief rest before she managed to add, "only warm."

For Sully, this was the last straw. He had allowed Colleen to take over as soon as he and Matthew had managed to put Michaela to bed. Then he had retreated to the fireplace, feeding the flames with as many logs as possible. He had suggested warming a stone and placing it at the foot of the bed to warm up Michaela's feet but Colleen had rejected the idea, stating that the heat could harm her ma's broken ankle.

When he had pointed out that even the heavy blankets didn't seem to be helping, Colleen had looked at him somewhat doubtfully but had still covered her ma heavily. However, considering that the young girl might just be out of her depth, not to mention a little scared, he got up off the floor and pulled his shirt over his head. As he strode bare-chested towards the bed, Matthew asked in alarm, "What are you doing?"

"Sharing my body heat," Sully replied calmly.

The children watched silently as he lifted the blankets off the bed. Carefully, he rolled the still shivering Michaela onto her side so that her injured foot wasn't jostled, and then crawled into bed beside her. He carefully shifted her until her back rested flush against his chest, his arms holding her protectively in place. Having found a comfortable position, he called quietly for Wolf and gestured for him to lay beside Michaela's chest and belly. "Could someone cover us again? With a blanket and the quilt?" he asked, and Colleen hurried to do so.

"Dr. Mike won't like this," Matthew stated loudly, echoing what his siblings were thinking.

Sully silently agreed but that wouldn't stop him from doing what he thought was right.

"I'll deal with that later," he uttered. He didn't care if Michaela was angry. All that mattered was that she came out of this nightmarish situation in one piece. He was sure that her ankle would heal, but he wasn't sure how much damage the prolonged exposure to the heavy rain combined with low temperature and wind had caused. He hoped that she wouldn't develop pneumonia, just as Colleen had following the treacherous night the girl had spent out in the cold.

They would just have to wait and see.

*Hotamétaneo'o – Cheyenne word for dog soldier


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Michaela surfaced slowly from a deep sleep borne of unmitigated exhaustion. She knew something terrible had happened but couldn't remember what it was. She presumed things would start coming back as soon as she opened her eyes, so she didn't. She drifted instead, unthinking and tried hard to hold onto the oblivion that sleep brought. She sensed another body next to her, warm and comforting. She felt utterly safe and she didn't want to lose that sensation either. Suddenly, she tensed. There wasn't just one body beside her, but two. Snuggled against her chest was Wolf; she recognised the familiar fur beneath her fingers. But who was spooning her from behind? Sometimes, Brian would join her under the covers, but that didn't happen very often anymore. The exception of course had been the night they'd struggled to put out the fire in the barn, all the while fearing for their lives. Both Colleen and Brian had joined her that night.

However, the arm draped over her middle was too heavy to be a child's.

She had barely formulated this thought when her eyes flew open and she gasped. "Sully!"

Her exclamation was meant to be a horrified shriek but it came out like a hoarse whisper. It wasn't even loud enough to wake Colleen who was fast asleep in the rocking chair beside the bed. As Michaela tried to wriggle out of his embrace, she involuntarily jostled her leg. It was her small cry of pain that finally woke Sully.

For the best part of the night, he had listened to the soft sounds of Michaela's breathing, ready to jump into action if there was even the slightest change to the steady rhythm. The boys had eventually turned in, but Colleen had provided him with hot coffee until the girl too had succumbed to sleep. Later, when her shivering had finally ceased, Michaela had lain so still beside him that he'd placed his palm gently to her chest, seeking the reassuring thump of her heart beneath his fingertips. As Michaela had drifted into a deeper slumber, he had allowed himself to relax and had eventually nodded off.

However, her quiet voice now roused him instantly. Lifting his head from the pillow, he asked quietly, "Are you alright?"

Michaela didn't reply for it was now all coming back to her: being chased by dog soldiers, running for her life, the agonising pain in her foot as she had tripped over a root that sent her sprawling to the forest ground. But the worst had been the rain and the cold. She had been so cold that the memory of it sent a shiver through her body.

Sully, supporting himself on his elbow so he could watch her face for any sign of discomfort, was alarmed. "You cold again?"

At this, Colleen started awake and jumped up from her seat. "What happened?" she inquired, her eyes wide with fear.

Michaela didn't seem to hear them though. Looking at Sully in wonder she stated, "You found me."

"Actually, it was Wolf," he responded automatically. "Are you feeling cold again?" he repeated his question, frowning with worry.

Michaela swallowed as it became clear to her that Sully had been the one to keep her warm through the night. In the dim light of dawn that had begun to disperse the darkness of the room she glanced at her daughter, the heat rising in her cheeks, and sighed softly. It had felt so good being held, but she was no fool; Sully would have done that for anyone who had been in her position. It was in his nature to help.

This knowledge hurt, but not more than the cold gap he left as he moved away from her side and got up.

"Ma?"

Collen's voice pulled her from her thoughts and she tried to think rationally as she focused on her daughter.

"I need to bandage my foot properly, but I can't do that here. I have to get to the clinic. I can't ride so please ask Matthew to hitch the wagon," she began yet Sully instantly chimed in, "Michaela, Bear's gone."

"Oh." Michaela turned her head to look up at Sully who stood next to the bed. Confused by this news, she momentarily lost her train of thought. Without thinking, she pulled the quilt up to her chin, suddenly feeling exposed although she was quite warm now, especially with Wolf's added warmth beside her.

Sully and Colleen, watching her with eagle eyes, noted how her hands shook as she gripped the fabric. This time it was Colleen who posed the question Sully had already asked twice, "Are you still cold, Dr. Mike?"

Michaela shook her head wearily. "I might have a fever," she admitted, knowing the signs. Exhausted from speaking those five words, she closed her eyes again and allowed her tiredness to pull her into oblivion once again.

xxx

The next two days passed in a haze of fever and pain. Michaela slept most of the time, but Colleen woke her at regular intervals, urging her to take some quinine dissolved in water and drink some tea or chicken broth. The girl was beside herself with worry. Yet to Dr. Mike, dreams and reality were strangely blurred. She could no longer tell if the dark figure hovering over her bed and murmuring something about acute tonsillitis was a product of her imagination or not. She nodded along in vague acknowledgement anyway. The diagnosis sounded right; even swallowing fluids was a challenge.

Sully had watched the physician from Denver with deep suspicion. The man seemed to enjoy that the young doctor was at his mercy and for once, unable to contradict him. In truth, he couldn't tell them anything new about Michaela's condition. Colleen was already managing the fever and keeping her Ma drinking. The only useful thing Dr. Cassidy did was stabilize Michaela's foot with a proper plaster cast.

When on the second evening Michaela's condition hadn't improved, Sully decided to go to Cloud Dancing for help. He knew he couldn't simply take Michaela to the reservation like he had when she had fallen ill with the influenza last year. There was no way of telling if the dog soldiers were still around. His friend would have to come to the homestead.

Sully was confused at his Cheyenne brother's initial hesitation, but when he witnessed Michaela's reaction to the medicine man's presence, he suddenly understood. In her feverish state, Michaela was clearly mistaking Cloud Dancing for a dog soldier and panicked the minute she saw him. Throwing back her covers she had tried to get up and it had taken Sully several minutes before he had managed to reassure her that she was safe. She clung to him with the little strength she had left, tears of terror still streaking down her face even after the medicine man had left the cabin.

When Sully eventually joined his friend in the yard, he apologized.

"I'm sorry," he said, shuffling his feet uncomfortably on the ground. Cloud Dancing frowned, eying his white brother thoughtfully before he responded.

"No, I am sorry. I should not have come. I knew that there was a chance that Dr. Mike would mistake me for one of those who attacked her. With her temperature so high she cannot see and think clearly. I should have given you this to try it right away."

With that, he held out a small pouch to Sully. "Crush the dried herbs and sprinkle them into a flame beside Dr. Mike. That will ease her breathing."

Without waiting for a response, the Cheyenne was gone.

xxx

The morning sun was brightening the room when Michaela finally opened her eyes. Blinking a few times and turning her head to the side, she tried to get her bearings. She was lying in her bed and Wolf was on the floor beside the fireplace. Seeing the animal, she knew Sully couldn't be far away and as if on cue, the door opened and Sully, carrying an armful of logs, entered the homestead. He stopped on the threshold when he saw her looking at him with clear eyes. He waited for her to say something, anything, so that he could be sure her fever had broken. She didn't disappoint him.

"Where…" She stopped momentarily to clear her throat before continuing.

"Where are the children?" she asked. "Are they alright?"

At this, Sully couldn't help but grin; she was back.

Seeing her frown at his reaction, he closed the door behind him and hurried to explain, "I sent them to school. Colleen didn't wanna go, but I told her I'd sit with you today."

"Thank you," she said somewhat absent-mindedly for she was now trying to recall what had happened over the last days.

"You're welcome," he replied rather formally and subtly turned his back; he could tell she was silently assessing herself for any injuries. Piling the logs beside the fireplace, he busied himself with making some tea. When he heard her soft hiss, he winced in sympathy. He was sure she had some major bruises in addition to the broken ankle. In his experience, bruises and strained muscles were sometimes more painful than fractures.

Sully only pivoted once he heard her exhale in frustration. Obviously, she had determined the extent of her injuries.

"Robert E. is making some crutches for you," he offered, "so as soon as you feel strong enough, you can get around. At least here in the homestead."

She glanced at him but didn't reply. Noticing her struggle to get into a more upright position, he hurried over and gently placed another pillow behind her back to support her. Her eyes were fixed on her hands clasped together on the blanket, avoiding his searching gaze. He could well imagine what a difficult situation this was for her; she didn't like anyone seeing her as weak.

Michaela's thoughts, however, were tending in a very different direction. She remembered vividly now how Sully had lain next to her, holding her close and offering his body heat to warm her up. Her thoughts and emotions were too muddled to pick apart at this time. Thus she opted to simply glance up at him and stated formally but sincerely, "Thank you for saving my life."

Before he could reply, the door was thrown open and a fuming Elizabeth Quinn appeared in the doorway. "Michaela Quinn," she began in an imperious tone, "you will pack your things and come home with us this instant."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

For a second, Michaela believed she had lost her mind; it was as if her mother had materialized out of thin air. Or maybe, she was still caught up in a fever dream for it was impossible that her mother was already here after having heard that her youngest was sick. Fortunately, Elizabeth didn't leave her in the dark about the real reason why she had come to Colorado Springs. She barged into the room, planted herself beside the bed and glared down at Michaela. "How dare you reject a man who had fought in the war and is now marked by it and scarred for life," she hissed in a dangerously low voice. "How can you be so cruel and unscrupulous? How can you break the promise you have given him?"

Michaela winced as if she'd been slapped, and Sully instinctively took a step towards her. Mrs. Quinn's glare stopped him though, and he resumed his place beside to the oven while Michaela sighed and briefly closed her eyes. She should have been prepared. She should have known it would only be a question of time that her mother learned about David's return to Boston. She hadn't expected though that Elizabeth Quinn would act as if the last seven years had never occured, as if she hadn't mourned David, too. As if she hadn't encouraged her to go on with her life.

"Mother," Michaela said as calmly as she was able to under the circumstances, "it was David who called off our engagement seven years ago when he decided to let us believe he is dead."

"But he had his reasons!" Elizabeth exclaimed, gesturing in exasperation. "As a doctor, you should understand that!"

"Have you talked to him at all?" Michaela asked, swallowing the lump in her throat, not having recovered yet from her mother's sudden appearing and ensuing verbal assault.

At this moment, someone knocked at the door and Michaela looked at her mother in disbelief. Had she actually convinced David to come with her? Yet as Sully opened the entrance it was her oldest sister who entered the cabin.

"Rebecca!" Michaela breathed. She was so relieved that she momentarily lost hold on her composure and dry sobs wrecked her body as she held out her arms for a welcoming embrace.

"Shh," Rebecca soothed as she hugged her sister, rubbing her back comfortingly. "I'm here now."

Then she bent back, eying her sister suspiciously. "How long have you been ill? You are awfully thin," she gently scolded.

"The fever broke only this morning," Sully chimed in as he stepped closer again and gave Michaela the cup of tea he had prepared for her.

"But it was not simply a fever?" Rebecca looked at him questioningly, having noticed her sister's flinching when she was holding her.

"She will get over it in a few days," Elizabeth stated, still glaring at her youngest. "That gives Rebecca and me some time to recover from the tiring travel and help you pack your and the children's things."

Michaela closed her eyes again and let herself sink back against the pillows, still clutching the cup in her hands. Suddenly it was all too much. She wasn't prepared for a fight with her mother. It would be a bad one because neither of them would give in.

Sully and Rebecca glanced at each other, silently communicating who of them should take action. When Rebecca nodded at him almost imperceptibly, he said quietly, "You gotta drink at least a few sips, Michaela."

Surprised, Michaela looked up at him, wondering why he had chosen this moment to call her by her first name and not address her as Dr. Mike as he always did. She quickly looked down at her cup when she felt a blush warming her face as she briefly considered the implication, and obediently began to drink.

Believing she had won the argument since her daughter didn't contradict her, Elizabeth said in a satisfied tone, "That's settled then. Now, where could we stay?"

Michaela took a deep breath and let it out slowly, bracing herself for the next round of the quarrel. "You can stay at the clinic," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "Colleen will prepare two rooms for you after school." Without even the tiniest hesitation, she continued, "And I will not come back to Boston, Mother. My home is here now."

"That's nonsense," Elizabeth reacted instantly, looking around for a chair as she realized they weren't done yet. Sully put one next to the bed and retreated to his former position in the background. He knew he should possibly leave but he couldn't. Although he sensed that Rebecca was on her sister's side, he still felt he should stay and be there for Michaela as well.

It took not even a minute for his decision to be proven the right one. When her mother told her that her father would be deeply disappointed if he knew how selfish she was, Michaela's face turned ashen.

"I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, Mrs. Quinn, but that's enough. You daughter needs to rest, so I better take you to the clinic right now," he said, determined to give Michaela a break. Turning to Rebecca, he added, "Would you stay until I'm back with Matthew? He'll take you to town, and I'm gonna take care of Michaela until Colleen's back from school."

"Of course," Rebecca immediately agreed, looking with concern at her sister. "Does she need any medicine?"

"Only after lunch," Sully said, already on his way to the door. "I'll take care of that."

xxx

As happy as Michaela was to have her favourite sister with her, she couldn't help but fall asleep. The strain of the last three days had taken its toll on her, and her body demanded its rights. Her slumber didn't last long, but she felt refreshed when she woke up. Rebecca was still there, occupying the rocking chair. She had nodded off as well, and Michaela watched her with deep affection. Rebecca was the only person next to her father who had never belittled or hurt her, had never betrayed her trust. When Sully had left with Catherine, Michaela had considered writing to her sister, asking for her advice but then refrained from doing it when David arrived and distracted her.

However, now she had the opportunity to confide in her sister with all her doubts and problems. She was positive she would see more clearly afterwards.

As if sensing the gaze directed at her, Rebecca opened her eyes. The two sisters looked at each other without speaking, as if assessing the other one's state of mind. It was Rebecca who eventually broke the silence. "Is this because of Sully?" she asked gently, not wanting to upset her sister.

"No." Michaela's reply was sincere. She sat up and leaned against the head of her bed and admitted, "Sully and I stopped courting before David even arrived."

This wasn't the answer Rebecca had expected, especially since Sully was obviously still around. However, she didn't prompt her sister to elaborate but waited silently.

"I am thrilled that David is alive," Michaela began to reveal her thoughts. "But I am also angry that he made us believe he was killed in the war. I could have forgiven him that, but when he arrived in town, he introduced himself as Andrew Strauss."

Surprised, Rebecca lifted her eyebrows. "Why's that?" she wondered.

"He claimed he wanted to see if I were happy and then he would leave again. I became more and more suspicious the more time we spent together, but he had always explanations that made me believe I was wrong. But then he gave himself away, and he couldn't deny his true identity anymore. He had lied to me again" She fell silent and fidgeted with her fingers, anxiously glancing at Rebecca.

"I see," her older sister said quietly, and Michaela knew that she didn't have to explain more and smiled with relief.

She wasn't off the hook though. She knew it when Rebecca requested, "And now tell me what happened between you and Sully."

Xxx

The children were delighted when they learned grandma was visiting but grew anxious when they heard why she had come. So, when they all had dinner together at the homestead in the evening, the mood was glum and the tension almost palpable.

Colleen and Rebecca had barely finished clearing the table when Elizabeth asked them for some privacy with Michaela who was still resting in bed because the crutches weren't done yet. Before Rebecca left the room though, she glanced back at her sister asking, "Will you be alright?"

Michaela nodded. After her chat with Rebecca in the morning she felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Talking had helped her to sort through her feelings, and in addition she was now better prepared for the next with confrontation with her mother.

Once outside, Colleen hurried towards the barn to take care of the cow and Rebecca decided to take a short stroll around the house. As she stood with her hands clasped behind her back, thoughtfully looking at the small cabin, a voice from behind startled her. "I know Michaela deserves a better home…"

Sully's voice trailed off when Rebecca lifted her hand to stop him. She thought this the perfect opportunity to talk to him and asked, "Do you have a moment, Mr. Sully? I'd like to explain some things to you."

"Sure." Sully gestured toward the steps leading up to the porch and they both settled on the top step.

This wasn't easy for Rebecca. She liked to cheer people up and preferred to avoid lecturing them. Reminding herself that she did this for her youngest sister's sake, she began, "You know I talked to Michaela this morning, and I think you should know a few things you, maybe, aren't yet aware of. Please forgive me when I come straight to the point." She glanced at the man sitting next her, waiting for his permission to go on. He nodded and she continued, speaking matter-of-factly, "When you are brought up in the upper class of Boston's society, there is a silent agreement that a man only kisses a woman when he is willing to commit himself to her." She felt him tense up next to her but went on as if she had not noticed, "I know things might be seen differently here at the frontier, but Michaela is convinced now, after you've met this other woman, that she isn't as special to you as she had allowed herself to believe. It happened to her before, you know. There was one colleague, also a doctor at the hospital, who made her think he cared for her, until it turned out he only wanted her to take over his shifts. Later, she felt betrayed by David when he simply announced he would join the army without bothering to talk to her before he made this decision."

Sully hung his head in shame. When Michaela had confronted him about Catherine, he had been on the defensive and angry instead of trying to understand her. This time, Rebecca didn't notice his reaction to her words and continued speaking, "You were the first man after David she allowed to come close to her again. She is grateful that you saved her life but she is convinced you would have done that for anyone in need. That you didn't act out of love."

When Rebecca looked at him for his reaction to this statement, he sighed. In a way, Michaela was right: he would have rescued anyone. However, warming her up in her bed with his own body heat had been very personal. Holding her was not a choice he'd made but an urge he hadn't been able to deny himself.

"If you want her back," the oldest Quinn sister said gently, "you will have to show her what she means to you."

"I'll find a way," Sully promised and Rebecca smiled at him encouragingly.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Michaela was considerably better now, and with her mother and sister there to take care of her, Sully was convinced that he would only be in the way. Thus, after saying good night, he took the opportunity to leave the homestead quickly. He needed some time to think, and he couldn't do that with so many people around. He wasn't aware that it appeared as though he had fled as opposed to just leaving for the night. He didn't notice the confusion he left behind.

Seeing his grandmother's suspicious look, Rebecca's concerned frown and, most importantly, the disappointment in both his sister's and ma's eyes, Brian hurried after Sully.

"Wait!" he hollered when he saw him turning onto the path that led towards the woods.

Sully stopped instantly.

"Is something wrong?" he wondered, when the now breathless boy reached him.

Brian didn't respond to this question but asked, "Will you come back?"

"Sure," Sully replied, giving the boy's shoulder a short, reassuring pat before he pivoted and continued on his way. He didn't realize that this short response didn't help to relieve Brian's worries but in fact sought to increase them.

After dismissing the option of going to the reservation to talk to Cloud Dancing, Sully made his way to his lean-to beside the creek. Although he always appreciated the medicine man's advice, he knew that this time, he needed to come to his own conclusions. Rebecca's words had stirred something inside him that he couldn't identify yet and he couldn't wait a moment longer to mull it all over.

xxx

Although everyone had opposed Michaela getting up, let alone going back to work so soon, she was, once again, seated behind her desk at the clinic. Her leg lay propped up on a pillow resting on a small chair. It was two days since Sully's sudden departure and Michaela had needed to get out of the house. She was tired of replying to questions she couldn't yet answer for herself. Her mother was still irritated because she hadn't had the opportunity yet to talk to Sully on his own. Despite Michaela's assurances to the contrary, Elizabeth Quinn still believed that Sully was ultimately behind Michaela's refusal to reunite with David. Brian and Colleen were restless again, insecure themselves if Sully would return to them. To Michaela's mind, however, there was only one question: how long would he stay away this time? In the early days of their acquaintance it was sometimes months, then this reduced to a few weeks. Lately, he had taken to telling her if he was planning to leave to check his traps or go on a hunting trip with Cloud Dancing. His leaving for Baltimore didn't count. She had accepted now that he hadn't had time to inform her of this himself; Brian had given her that news. She wished though that he hadn't left so abruptly. If he had stayed, she would have told him what had become clear to her after her chat with Rebecca: she was aware now that he had done much more than bringing her home from the woods. They both knew that Colleen would have been fully capable to care for Michaela on her own. She had already learned how to care for people with high fever, but Sully had stayed and sat with her…

Her train of thought was interrupted by a knock. After adjusting her posture she called, "Come in!"

It was Horace who entered her room. "I got a letter for you, Dr. Mike. I thought I'd bring it myself, since you can't walk and all."

"Thank you, Horace." Michaela smiled at him as she took the envelope from his outstretched hand, wondering who might have written to her. Not recognizing the name of the sender, she frowned slightly. However, when she saw the name of the town she knew that the message could only be connected to Catherine.

Sighing softly, she pulled out a neatly folded sheet and began to read.

 _Dr. Quinn,_

 _My husband and I are very grateful for all you did for our granddaughter. Thanks to you, our doctor knows now what medicine Catherine needs. He says he hasn't had much experience with cases like hers. Again, thank you so much._

 _We are also indebted to Mr. Sully for the rest of our lives. He left so quickly that we didn't get a chance to ask where he lived. We would kindly ask you to give him our warmest regards._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Agatha Kipp, wife of William Kipp_

Michaela reread the letter before she put it carefully down on her desk. Although there were only a few lines, they told her all she needed to know; Sully couldn't get back to Colorado fast enough. A smile lit up her face as she looked up at Horace who had been watching her eagerly. "Good news?" he asked, grinning as well.

"Good news indeed. Thank you for stopping by, Horace," Michaela responded, and the telegraph operator beamed. "T'was my pleasure, Dr. Mike," he assured, bowed slightly and left.

Xxx

With a start Sully noticed that he had, once again, lost track of time. With Rebecca's words in mind, he had racked his brain, trying to figure out a way to show Michaela what she meant to him. He had considered taking her out, someplace fancy, but he had already done that in Boston. Next, he'd contemplated a gift that he could give her only to realize that this wouldn't work either. Michaela knew Catherine had received a gift from him, too. If her ankle weren't broken he could have taken her to that spot that was so special to him: a small waterfall in the woods but he had already shown her his mountain...

Unable to come up with a solution, he must have drifted off. Rising from his pile of furs, the recollection of his dream made him pause. Michaela had been there, wearing a simple white dress. She had smiled at him but then turned to leave. The agony of watching her go sent a pang to his heart and he realised he needed to see her immediately. If he was lucky, another idea of how to make things right would strike him on the way.

He covered the distance to town as fast as possible and was somewhat breathless when he entered the clinic. Michaela was sat with her back to the window so he wasn't able to discern her features. If he could have seen the relief on her face at seeing him, he would have felt immediately at ease. But before she could even greet him, he began to speak.

"I want to apologize," he said, shifting nervously from one foot to the other. "What happened with Catherine won't happen again, I promise."

Sully couldn't know that a letter from a woman Michaela had never met had already paved the way for him, and it was only her insecurity that made her wonder.

"How can I be sure?" she asked quietly. "What if another young, attractive woman in need of help comes to town and you care for her because she gives you more than I can? What if you want to kiss her, too?"

Sully gulped. Only now did he remember the argument they had had shortly before he'd left for Baltimore. He vaguely recalled the accusations he had made, and when Michaela repeated them now, in her calm manner, they sounded awful. Still, she waited patiently for his reply which made him hope that all was not yet lost. And instinctively, he chose the right way to get through to her: he began to talk in earnest, weighing every word.

"Its true that I thought Catherine was attractive," he began, "but I wasn't attracted to her. I cared for her because I felt sorry for her. I understood what she was going through, but I didn't love her."

He waited for her reaction, but her gaze was still directed at her hands clasped tightly in her lap. It tore him apart seeing her so insecure about herself, knowing it was he who was responsible for that. But she had been through worse and not at his hands. He could still make it right between them again.

Taking a deep breath, he turned around and fetching the chair from beside the door, placed it beside her, carefully avoiding her injured foot. As he sat down, he took her hands in his. They were ice-cold and he enveloped them with his fingers to warm them up.

"Michaela, look at me," he implored quietly, encouraged when she didn't shy away from his touch. Eventually she met his eyes.

Sully loved poetry and he wasn't afraid to let it color his speech when he spoke with a conviction that came deep from within him. "There is a bond that reaches from my heart to yours, and it always pulls me back to you, no matter how far away I go or for how long," he told her.

Michaela's eyes were filling with tears, hearing the sincerity in his words. Seeing this, Sully wanted nothing more than to hold her close, but he continued, placing his fist on his chest over his heart. "You are my heart song," he said, sounding almost desperate.

"Oh Sully," she breathed, wiping at her tears. Something inside her locked into place, and she realised that her heart had always felt this bond, too. It anchored her to him. His presence filled a void that made her world a comforting place. "I love you, too," she whispered and blushed under his look of unrestrained joy.

He bent forward, and his lips caressed hers with a tenderness that made her feel not only loved but revered, and Michaela knew they could make their relationship work.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Michaela's confidence only lasted until Sully's lips parted from hers. She couldn't help but wonder if he had kissed Catherine the same way he had kissed her. She lifted her hand and her fingertips hovered over her mouth as if to prevent the air from cooling the tender skin. A light blush spread over her cheeks, and she smiled shyly at Sully.

She was an open book to him and he could read her thoughts simply from her gaze. He decided to ignore her doubts; he would just have to keep kissing her for the rest of her life in the hope that she would one day forgive this one slip. In fact, this thought gave him an idea and he rose to his feet.

"Will you be free in the afternoon?" he asked her. "I'd like to show you something."

Michaela nodded. "I promised Colleen I would be back home for lunch and then rest." She waited for Sully to elaborate on his plan, but he only grinned. "Good," he said. "I'll see you then."

Before Michaela could pose any further questions, he was already out of the door and it had closed behind him. On the porch, he almost ran into Mrs. Quinn and stopped short. "Sorry," he began, "I didn't mean to…"  
"Of course not," Elizabeth retorted dryly. "Men never do." After the briefest pause she said rather tartly, "Actually, I need to talk to you. Do you have a moment?"

Not in the least intimidated or concerned despite her tone, Sully shrugged lightly. "Sure," he replied. "What is it?"

Elizabeth looked up and down the street. To her dismay, it was pretty busy for such a small town. When her gaze fell on the scruffy barkeeper across the street who saluted her with his cigar, she sighed deeply.

"Let's go to the café," she said briskly, and without waiting for Sully to agree, she stepped down into the road. She didn't even make sure he was following her as she began to walk.

Only one table was occupied at the café, but Sully frowned as he saw Loren and Jake sitting there. These two were the most experienced eavesdroppers he had ever met, but fortunately Mrs. Quinn chose seats as far away from them as possible. She waited until Grace had put down the coffee cups and was on her way back to her bench. Then, however, Elizabeth came straight to the point.

"I understand that you still care for my daughter." She only paused to wait for Sully's nod of agreement before she continued, "If that's really the case, you need to help me make her see reason."

Sully wanted to chime in, but she didn't give him the opportunity.

"She is betrothed to a fine young man who is a doctor just like she is. They can work together in my late husband's practice and raise her children in the best way possible. Here, however, she has to fend for herself."

"She has me," Sully was able to cut in, but Elizabeth went on as if she hadn't heard him.

"I've seen some of her patients; one of them has even been a pig! How can she ever hope to provide for the children in the long run?"

"She has me," repeated Sully a little louder, and Elizabeth snapped her attention back to him.

"As far as I was aware, you had broken up," she retorted, eying him with a mix of disapproval and disappointment.

Growing a little embarrassed under her gaze, Sully amended, "It wasn't a break, just a small crack. And I'm working on repairing it."

For a long moment, Elizabeth looked at the young man before her. She had come to like him, but infidelity wasn't something she could forgive and she knew for sure Michaela couldn't either. Although, Rebecca had spoken of only one kiss… When David had talked to her back in Boston about his visit to Colorado Springs, he had given her the impression that Michaela didn't have anyone around who supported her. Beside herself with worry when David had narrated the events with the Ku Klux Klan, she had asked her eldest daughter to come with her and bring her little sister home where she belonged. However, reading the sincerity in Mr. Sully's expression and knowing that her arguments during their discussions hadn't impressed Michaela in the least, she wondered if, maybe, she could leave her youngest in the young man's care.

"How will you repair it?" she eventually asked. "As you know, even cracks that have been repaired can leave ugly scars behind."

This time, it was Sully who sighed. "I know," he said quietly, not answering the first part of Mrs. Quinn's question.

"Will you commit yourself to her?" Elizabeth required, determined to find out if Mr. Sully was absolutely serious about his intentions.

Although he wasn't one for formalities, Sully knew he needed to get a ring for Michaela. She deserved one. However, he would rather swallow his own tongue than admit that he didn't have the money to purchase an engagement ring, at least not at the moment.

Elizabeth was watching him intently, and she could hazard a guess at what was going through his mind.

"I could lend you some money," she offered quietly, but Sully's response was immediate. "No," he said firmly, "I never accept money that I haven't earned. But don't worry, I'll find a way," he said determinedly, an idea forming in his mind.

At Mrs. Quinn's doubtful look, Sully couldn't help but smile with satisfaction. He would show her that he was as serious as one could be when it came to her daughter.

xxx

Sully stopped by the reservation to talk to Cloud Dancing and Snow Bird before he picked Michaela up at the homestead. He had assured her that the dog soldiers had left the area and thus she was quite relaxed and enjoyed their little tour in the wagon.

The ride was a little uncomfortable with her leg however, and Sully returned her home rather quickly. As they arrived in the yard, he insisted on carrying her, saying that climbing the porch stairs was still too soon. But there was more.

Michaela had initially felt puzzled when Sully had driven her out to a particularly beautiful location and asked for her opinion about it. She couldn't make sense of his satisfied grin when she praised the view and the old oak with its mighty crown that stood at the edge of the small but lovely meadow. But to top it all, when they arrived home, he placed his red-and-black striped blanket over his shoulders before he took her in his arms to carry her into the house, covering her up too, even though she wasn't feeling cold.

Michaela became even more confused when not only her three children but Rebecca and her mother too had suddenly sat down around the table, looking up at her expectantly. It wasn't dinner time yet. Before she could ask what was going on, Colleen's eyes suddenly widened.

"Sully?" she asked him and when he winked at her she leapt up from her chair so quickly that it fell back on the floor.

Michaela had barely time to blink before Colleen threw her arms around her neck, squealing, "I'm so happy!"

"Will someone please tell me what's going on here?" Elizabeth demanded and while Sully carefully sat Michaela down on her bed, Colleen was more than eager to explain. "It's a Cheyenne custom. When a man wants to marry a woman, he puts a blanket around them and talks to her," she told her attentive audience.

A stunned silence met her words, but after a few seconds it was Brian who first grasped what his sister had said and threw himself into Sully's arms. "So you're really gonna be our pa now?" he asked eagerly, and when Sully nodded, the boy buried his face in his new father's chest and began to cry.

Matthew gave the older man a friendly clap on the back whilst he tousled his little brother's hair. He was glad that Sully had finally come to terms with his feelings, knowing that his younger siblings would have the family they deserved – and he could start his own.

Still busy with the Cooper siblings, Sully didn't notice the reaction of the three Quinn women. After initially gaping at her future son-in-law because of his rather unconventional way of proposing, she finally rolled her eyes and leant back in her chair rather relaxed. Rebecca was beaming at the scene before her, and it was only Michaela who was still unsure of what was unfolding before her. Too many emotions had assailed her heart lately. She had been convinced that she had lost Sully and then David had reappeared in her life. She had been hunted by dog soldiers, experienced mortal fear and then been rescued by Sully. And now it seemed Sully had been proposing to her without her noticing it.

Then he was suddenly kneeling before her, and every thought fled her mind. He took her hands in his and peered up at her. "I bought that place I showed you today a while back. I wanna build a house for our family there, but before I get started, I need to know… Will you marry me?" he asked, his eyes still locked with hers as he gently kissed her knuckles. A heartbeat later, she answered quietly, "Yes."

Later that night, she would remember that Sully had mentioned he'd bought the property some time ago. Thus despite his doubts, he'd always intended to make a life with her and the children.

For now, however, she put aside all thoughts of their sometimes difficult past and was lost in a moment of sheer bliss. Sully loved her, and she would be spending the rest of her days with him. That was all that mattered.

The End

 _A big thank you to Wendy, Liza and Tweety, who helped me make the story readable._

 _I'd also like you to know that I appreciated every single review you left here or on Facebook._

 _Thank you for reading!_


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